An Eternity Past
by Ebony'n'Ivory Angel
Summary: Sora finds herself completely void of a past. With no memories and no identity, she is forced to regain her identity piece by piece and forge a new destiny for herself. Sora may have forgotten her past, but her past surely hasn't forgotten her. GOMXOC (I don't own the cover image)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – The blight**

 **Okay, well, I decided to write two fanfics at once. Why you ask? Because I hate myself and want to increase the workload that I'm already squashed under. So, due to some self created confusion, I mixed up this fanfic (An Eternity Past) and my other one (A Game of Embers) and their titles were reversed so I apologise for the confusion. And I decided to undergo mass editing, so I fixed up quite a bit in this fanfic and the other one. I hope it is to your liking. I will now stop talking and let you enjoy.**

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM KNB**

A sweet smelling breeze swept through the empty room, swirling around a figure who was gazing out of the window in his office. The corners of his lips curled up into a small knowing smile. The sun was beginning to peak up from below the horizon, casting crimson and golden light upon the land. The figure ran his hand through his equally crimson hair and let the sun's rays warm him. He glanced up at the sky and remembered its colour. A brilliant yet soft blue. _Like her._

A gentle knock on the door brought his attention away from the rolling fields of red and gold.

"Come in."

Another person stood in the darkness of the office, bowing before slowly approaching the desk, as if uncertain whether to take another step. The figure didn't take his eyes off the view as the crimson and gold was slowly being replaced by the familiar blue sky and the fields glowed green once again.

"My Lord, the sources say that they have seen her."

The small grin grew ever so slightly. His blood began to boil and his nerves became alive. Finally turning away from the window, he faced the hidden figure. The sun's rays illuminated him but its brightness did not match the deadly glow in his eyes, those devastating crimson and gold eyes. The figure flinched at the lord as those eyes found their mark in their own. A sudden rush of fear ran through their veins as they dared to look deeper.

"Good. Where about?"

"Seirin My Lord."

"Call the others, I believe it is time for us to meet again."

"Yes, My Lord."

 **~Somewhere far away~**

"Oi lady! More beer!"

"Yes! Coming sir!"

"HEY Girl! Get me a table!"

"Yes sir! Please give me a moment."

The bar was never quiet. 'The Den' it was called and rightly so. Like a den of lions, everyone seemed to roar at each other whether it was with laughter or anger. However, never being quiet had its negatives. There were always customers so no breaks and those customers always got out of hand. Stationed behind the counter, a girl watched with her round observant eyes as the poor waitresses dashed about, tending to the needs of the brutish customers. In the middle, two men began to dish out punches, knocking each other to ground in a drunken heap. At this rate, they were going to damage the bar and the owner would kill her for it. Deciding that it was time to leave her station, she tied up her waist length pale blue hair into a ponytail that swished behind her as she stepped out from behind the counter.

The girl silently made her way through the cheering crowd, no one noticing her presence even as she brushed up against them and pushed her way through. The whole bar had formed a circle around the wrestling duo, cheering and betting their money on who the victor may be. The girl smiled to herself. _Unfortunately, the only victor here, is me._ She stepped into the ring and approached the two.

"Excuse me dear customers, but I'm afraid if you do not stop your fighting, you will be asked to leave."

The two continued to fight. _Drunkards._ Whipping out a small pistol from the holster beneath her skirt, she fired a shot in the air as the entire bar came to a dead silence.

"Much better. Now then, let me repeat myself. Please stop your fighting. If you wish to continue your fight, please take it outside."

She needed no further words. No need for threats or action. All she needed in her arsenal was her dangerous smile and the two men knew exactly what to do. Both got to their feet, returned to their tables and continued to drink. The crowd also returned to their seats, fearing what the girl might do to them. In this bar, she was well known for her ability to intimidate and controlling the rowdy customers. No one really questioned how a small girl like her could shut down an entire room filled with big and strong men and women. What they did know was that the owner of this bar, Aida Kagetora, was once a mighty and famed soldier who had gone into retirement after an injury had prevented him from fighting. His wife had left him years ago, leaving him with only his daughter who helped him at the bar. One day, 5 years ago, he returned to the bar with a young teenage girl by his side. The young girl was covered, head to toe, in blood and her eyes glowed like the brightest stars in the sky but she remembered nothing. Not even her name.

As the years went by she grew into older but she was quiet. Never spoke to anyone but the owner and his daughter who were raising her like their own, who gave her a name and a home. The owner taught her everything, from defending herself to managing the bar. Eventually she began to grow slightly warmer, beginning to speak to others and smile.

"Ah, my daughter, I see that you are doing well to keep the bar under control."

"Yes father."

He approached the girl and planted a gentle kiss upon her head.

"You go help the girls, I can take over from here. You've done well Sora-tan. By the way have you seen Riko-tan?"

"Thank you father and no, I haven't seen her. She is most likely training the guys."

Sora tied the apron around her waist and headed out from behind the counter once again.

"Ah! Little Sora!"

She approached the older man who had called out to her. He was a good friend of her father's and a regular customer of this bar, one of the few people she was somewhat comfortable to be around.

"I'm guessing another refill Takeda-san? How about water this time?"

The men on the table laughed and Sora couldn't help but join in, a small chuckle escaped her mouth.

"You wound me Sora-chan. I have a reputation to uphold. I can't lose my title as The Drink King."

It was such a garish title, in the sense that it was a play on words and once you got it, it either made you laugh or unimpressed.

"Better to lose the title than your liver. That much alcohol is never good for you."

Takeda laughed again and gently patted her back like an uncle would to tease his niece,

"God, you sound like a mother. But then again, you are a woman now, a fine young woman indeed. It's a shame that my son is already married and I have only young nephews. I've always wanted a cute little daughter or niece like you…what a shame."

The other men laughed at their friend's drunken antics as he began to dramatically wipe his tears and press his hand against his forehead like some damsel in distress.

"Stop it old man, you sound like a pedophile!"

"I agree, I may have to report this to the guard."

The table once again burst into fits of laughter as Sora walked off to grab their drinks. Her father asked her about the noise over on the table and Sora explained that she was 'afraid' to go over there because there was a pedophile. The man howled with laughter as he filled up the mugs with ale and handed them to Sora.

"Tell that old fool to keep his hands to himself."

Then her father turned to speak with another customer as she walked over to the table once again and handed them their drinks.

"Wah, this is great. Your old man truly knows how to make good ale. This is why I love coming here. Nice atmosphere, nice alcohol, nice people…it's a haven."

The other men expressed their agreement with nods and smiles. It made Sora happy that her father's hard work and dedication to this bar was having this sort of effect on the weary and tired. As Sora went around, clearing up tables as people left, she noticed that there was some strange noises coming from outside. She left her tray and the empty mugs on an empty table and headed outside to check it out. The streets were completely empty. For a Saturday evening, it was extremely strange for the streets to be so quiet. And then she heard it. The clopping of hooves against the stony ground and the cruel laughter that began to fill the air.

She went back inside to tell her father, grabbing the empty tray with her.

"Father, there seems to be trouble outside. About 10 men on horses and from the sounds of things, they are not here to be pleasant."

"Bandits and trouble makers for sure…they've been coming here more often as of late. I haven't heard any news about anything that may have caused this though. Anyway, if they come into The Den, then let them. But if they cause trouble, you know what to do."

Sora gave a quick nod as she continued her rounds. The Den was open from around 6 in the evening to 1 in the morning, dedicated to those who wanted to have a good night drinking, eating and socializing. Sure enough, the noisy bunch strolled into the bar and sat themselves down at a spare table. Ten men, relatively young, began chattering away as Sora approached them. She could see that they had guns and most likely other weapons on them. If a fight broke out here, it would most likely come down to a gun fight and a high chance of injuries. She planned to steer as far away as possible from that scenario.

"Good evening, what can I get you?"

The men smirked at the blunette standing before them. Some of them hooted and gestured to her inappropriately. _Disgusting._

"The best this place has to offer. You are such a beautiful girl. You wouldn't happen to be of other services too, would you?"

The disgust rolled around in her stomach as she fought the urge to wipe those feral grins of their faces.

"No, this bar does not provide those services. If you wish, there is a brothel further down the street that would be more than welcome to see to your needs. I will be back shortly with your drinks."

Instantly, as she walked away, the atmosphere in the bar became tense as the talking died down and the other customers grew wary of the new guests. Takeda and his group had also become wary. They still wore smiles on their faces but only to hide the tension that they were feeling. She and another girl returned with the drinks and placed them on the table and turned to leave when one of the men snaked his arm around the other girl's waist and pulled her down next to him.

"Oh come on now, don't be so coy. I'll be gentle-"

Sora pulled his arm away from the girl and twisted it around, causing him to slam against the table as he groaned with pain.

"Didn't I say before that we do not offer those kinds of services?"

"You bitch!"

The entire gang pulled out their guns and aimed it at the blunette who continued to keep their companion in an arm lock which threatened to snap his bones in an instant. Behind her she could feel the others pull out their guns too but with a single shake of the head, she stopped them from filling the bar with bullet holes.

"Put your guns away. You do not get to walk in here, touch the waitresses and cause trouble. Either put your guns away and act like the mature men you are meant to be or get out."

The men flinched at the hostility in her voice but did not put down their guns. In fact, the fact that they flinched only made them angrier as they began to growl like wild beasts. Sora knew that at this rate, a gun fight was inevitable.

"You don't order us around you bitch. Don't you know who we are? We are the mighty and feared members of the Fukuda Sogo Gang. Our boss was a member of the Generation of Miracles so you listen to us now. You're all lucky I don't report you to our boss."

Sora only stared at them with a bored and uninterested expression on her face.

"Never heard of them or you. I don't particularly care if you are members of some so called infamous gang. We do not tolerate violence and inappropriate behaviour in this bar. So please leave. You are not welcome here anymore."

They snickered and laughed, mocking the girl. One of the men stepped out and pressed the gun against her cheek and stared down at her with an intimidating look. If only it was intimidating.

"Oh yeah? Who's going to stop us? You? These old men? Make us leave then!"

Sora's lips curled into a small smile. One that was armed with deadly ammunition and ready to fire,

"Gladly."

In the blink of an eye, Sora twisted the guy's arm and a loud pop could be heard as his arm was now dislocated from his shoulder. She kicked him in the head and knocked him out cold. The men started to fire at her and she flipped the table over as cover from the bullets. The other men in the bar just sat there and watched as the gang members continue to fire at the girl. With a hard kick, she sent the table flying at the men who jumped out of the way to dodge. In that moment, Sora jumped out and landed a kick to another man's face, sending him into the wall. The other men continued to fire at her relentlessly, however, they were horrible shots as not one bullet was even close to being a threat. She threw a mug at another man, grabbed his wrist and threw him onto the ground in a painful heap. Grabbing the gun from another man, she ripped it out of his grip and slammed it into his temple and knocked him out cold. Finally the men began to retreat, taking their fallen brothers with them as they cursed at her.

"Demon woman! You'll regret crossing us!"

With that, they burst out of the bar and rode on their horses away. The bar burst into cheering as they laughed and groaned. Once again, they had placed bets on how long it would take for Sora to get rid of them. Some said 10 minutes, others said 5 and those who said 5 minutes won.

"Gah! Sora-tan! You broke my tables again!"

"Sorry father, but there was no other way. Better one table than the whole bar!"

So the girls and Sora began to clean up the mess. It was around 9 at night when Riko finally came home.

"Papa? What happened to the bar?"

"Ah! Riko-tan! You're home!"

Kagetora leapt at his daughter as she walked through the doors. Riko flushed at the nickname her father had given her. It was embarrassing for a 21 year old woman to be called such as childish nickname. She punched him in the face and went red as she stormed towards her adoptive sister who was clearing up the broken wood and glass.

"A gang fight. Members of the Fukuda Sogo Gang came and caused trouble, so I kicked them out."

Riko sighed. She knew that even though her sister was small and seemed delicate, she was far from it, like approaching a little house cat, thinking that it would be harmless only to be pounced on by a tiger in disguise.

"How was training Riko?"

"It was alright. Those boys are more trouble than anything. Damn it that Kagami! He won't listen to me…Ne, Sora, do you think you could possible come with me tomorrow to help? They're more scared of you than they are of me."

"That's because you are sometimes too easy on them. But sure, I will help. Kagami Taiga was it? I'll be sure to teach him a lesson. By the way, that boy, Kuroko Tetsuya was it?"

Riko cocked her head to the side. Only recently had Riko agreed to train some of the males of the large town to defend themselves and fight. Ever since Kagetora opened up the bar, he had little time to do the training himself so he had assigned Riko, the better coach, to train them in his place. Sora wasn't particularly interested in training others so she stayed back to help at the bar.

"Kuroko-kun? Yeah, what about him?"

"He's a strange boy. How have his abilities come along? Are they working well together with the others? Did he take the advice I gave the last time?"

Riko was confused. Sora never took interest into anyone this much. From the first time she met him, she had been acting strange. And so had he. Kuroko looked extremely shocked when he saw her; he even shed some tears as if he knew her. But after, he had explained that she reminded him of his sister who passed away at a young age. Even so, whenever Kuroko saw Sora, he always had a faint saddened expression on his face.

"Yeah, he's doing fine. The advice really worked though. I was surprised that something like that actually worked. You seemed so sure that pairing Kuroko up with Kagami would work out well."

Sora was unsure as to why she had been so sure. It was indeed, strange. She couldn't brush off the feeling that she had seen that boy somewhere. He did have a similar hair colour to hers although that could have just meant that she came from the same region as Kuroko did.

"Anyway, I'll help you tomorrow. I'm sure father will let me take a break."

Riko nodded as the mess was finally cleared up and the two girls headed upstairs together. It was the end of Sora's shift as the late night shift girls arrived and took her place. Besides, Kagetora didn't like his girls being down there beyond 11, it was when all the real trouble makers arrived.

"Let's go through the training regime at the moment."

So Riko explained the current plan for each member and what she needed help with to Sora who listened attentively and absorbed all the information like a sponge. It was interesting, to say the least, that Riko had come up with all this planning and ideas to improve and train the guys. it wasn't an easy task. Much harder than waitressing. They continued to discuss well into the night before fatigue claimed its victims and the two sisters fell asleep on the shared bed.

 _A flash of red as screams filled the air. Another flash of silver as the shrill of metal scrapping against each other echoed into the night._

 _Crimson._

 _All she saw was crimson. It stained the ground in splatters and puddles, it covered the sky like a suffocating blanket and ahead of her was a figure with glowing crimson hair and eyes. The figure reached out a hand to her. She reached out to take it before hesitating and pulling away._

" _Is that your choice? No matter, I won't let you get away. I will find you soon enough. You cannot hide from me. I am absolute."_

Somewhere distant, a pair of glowing red and gold eyes stared beyond the horizon to the east. They shimmered in the night as flames licked the air and the sweet smelling breeze rushed past the figure. His lips curled into a satisfied grin as he read the message send by the messenger falcon.

 _I've confirmed that she is indeed at Seirin._

 _What will you do now?_

Flames engulfed and devoured the scrap of paper as he turned to the sky with a cruel smile; the remnants of the message lost in the wind as ash,

"I take back what is mine."

 **End of Chapter**

 **So? Did you like this story? I hope you enjoyed it and I will be updating soon. THANKS FOR READING!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – The haunting**

 **Hi! I hope the first chapter was interesting and didn't bore you. I have so much spare time now so I will be updating as much as possible. Here is chapter 2.**

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM KNB**

Sora rose with the sun.

She woke before the roosters crowed. The scarlet rays beamed through the gap in the drapes, casting a rosy light onto the beige walls. Rubbing her tired eyes, Sora staggered to her feet and headed to the washroom. The small rectangular mirror reflected Sora's melancholic expression, one of foreign faces. Judging from the red and puffed up eyes, she had been crying in her sleep again. She never remembered any of her dreams but only woke with remnants of numbing grief that left her saddened and confused. _What did I dream about that could possibly leave me in such a state?_

"Eh? Sora? You awake already? I forget that you like to wake early."

Riko muttered as she rolled around on the floor, reluctant to get up.

"I'm sorry I woke you up. It's only dawn."

Riko shot up and groaned in frustration. She didn't need to be up for another few hours. Riko was always amazed at how Sora could always get up so early and be so full of life, well, on the inside anyway.

"It's fine…I should start learning to get up early anyway. Since I'm already up, I may as well stay up. Are you going to the market?"

Sora gave a short nod as she changed from her simple night gown into her trousers and blouse. Females were not allowed to wear pants as it was deemed masculine and wrong but Sora never really cared what people said about her. If it was comfortable, then she would wear it. Riko was the same but was let off more easily as she trained the guards and soldiers and that wasn't possible in a dress.

"Gah, people are going to start yelling at you again."

"Riko, you know I don't care. Besides, it's just you and I this morning. Father left last night saying he wouldn't be back until tomorrow. Some business thing that he didn't elaborate on. So I thought I might as well wear these clothes so we can just head straight to the training grounds."

Riko let out a sigh as she too got ready to head out. The girl had a point. Sora made sure to lock up all the windows and doors as the two walked side by side towards the market near the coast. Seirin was position near the coast for easy trading by ship.

"Good morning Sora-san and Riko-san."

Riko gave a cheerful good morning while Sora nodded at the lovely baker's wife.

"The usual I presume?"

"Not today I'm afraid. I'm going to be feeding the rowdy boy scouts. I'll have 9 loaves. How is your daughter?"

Riko frowned and whined at the comment that her sister had made about her precious team members,

"They are not boy scouts!"

The baker's wife smiled at the two sweet girls. Sora may seem cold and frightening at first but she was a genuinely sweet girl. Although Riko was indeed the more approachable one.

"She's growing up fine. As healthy as an ox but as sly and wild as a fox. I think she takes after you Sora-san. Untamable."

A small smile plastered itself on Sora's lips. She had met the little girl a few times on her morning rounds and she could vouch for that statement.

"That's very good to hear. Give her some candy and I'm sure you'll be able to train her just fine."

The lovely lady burst into laughter as she handed Sora the bag containing their breakfast. She was glad that Sora was warming up to her. The first time they met, they only exchanged a few words 'Good morning', '3 loaves please' and 'good bye'.

"I'll be sure to take your advice O wise one."

"We have to get going. It's unfair that they listen to her more than they do me!"

As if to add more salt to the wound, the baker's wife covered her mouth with her hands in mock shock,

"Oh that is rather sad. Don't worry, I'm sure if you feed them they'll listen to you. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Sora stared at Riko who looked a bit unsure about cooking before snickering. They both knew how Riko's cooking usually turned out. A mad blush spread across Riko's face as she began to pummel Sora with weak punches to stop the snickering and utter humiliation.

"I guess that's why she brought me with her today. Have a nice morning!"

"Oh thank you! You too!"

Dropping by the butchers for some beef and ham and then the fruit market for some apples and vegetables for tonight's dinner, the two walked to the training grounds where they were greeted by Hyuga and the others who had just arrived.

"Yo Riko! Wait! Y-you brought Sora-Chan today!?"

The guys blanched as they saw the blunette stroll towards them.

"It's nice to see you too Hyuga-kun."

Hyuga blushed, partially because he was embarrassed at his reaction to seeing her as well as her comment. The girl greeted the others who stuttered their hellos before her lips curled into a sweet smile that oozed a dangerous aura.

"I heard that you've been slacking off. Riko is far from inexperienced so I suggest you pick up your game and get to it."

They straightened up and flinched at the tone in the girl's voice. Sure, she was younger than them but she carried around with her an air of power that threatened to smack them into shape.

"If you take your training properly today, I'll make you lot something to eat later."

The thought of eating Sora's food caused them to salivate and drool. It was heaven on their palate. Riko huffed at how Sora could twist them around her finger so easily but Riko knew that between Riko and Sora, they preferred Riko any day.

"Right! Let's start with 20 laps around the grounds, starting now!"

The bunch raced off around the block as Riko and Sora placed the groceries on the table for Sora to get started on making lunch. Sora didn't see the red head or blunette anywhere.

"Where's Kuroko and Kagami? I didn't see them."

Riko frowned and agreed. They were late.

"Those two! I'll beat them to a pulp!"

Sora stepped outside of the small building and glanced around to see if she could find the red head or blunette. And sure enough, racing up from the west side was the duo with Kagami scowling as Kuroko followed slowly from behind.

"OI! Kuroko! Move it before Riko catches us-"

"I'm afraid that she's already noticed. I hope you two have a good explanation as to why you are 5 minutes late?"

It was more of a threat than a question and Kagami went white as a ghost upon seeing the passive expression on Sora's face.

"Ah! It's you! Why the hell are you here?"

"I heard that you two were causing trouble for Riko so I came to make sure that you don't and it seems like you two aren't off to a great start."

Sora turned to the quiet Kuroko who was staring at her with that same expression that he does each time. It may have not been shown on his face but his eyes said it all. Those beautiful, soulful blue orbs of his reflected an odd sadness that she couldn't quite explain. Whether that sadness was directed at her, she didn't know but it struck a chord with her.

"Good morning Sora-san."

"Yes, good morning to you too Kuroko. Now go and apologise to Riko for being late."

After being forced to kneel on the spot for an hour while the others did more warm ups, Riko gathered the group to announce some news.

"We've finally been recognized and invited to compete in the annual Summer Trials."

The gang beamed. This was a real surprise and honour as Seirin only established it's team 2 years ago and for them to be able to invited to compete in this event was amazing. It meant that the Counsel had recognized the team's abilities.

"This year, it will be held at Rakuzan since last year was Shutoku. This means that we have to work hard because the main capital will be watching us, and possibly the Royal Family. So for the next month, I will be tripling your training and adjusting your regime to bring out the best in your abilities. Work hard so we can show them that we are not to be underestimated."

"YOSHH!"

There was a loud roar as the gang began to take to their individual training with their weapon of choice. Most of them opted for broad swords and weapons that delivered quick blows as they were a Run-and-Gun style team, meaning they were an offensive type team. They took turns sparring with each other. The rules were simple, first one to yield, fall to the ground or receive a fatal blow would lose.

Wiping her brow as the sweat began to form under the hot Seirin summer heat, Sora continued to chop up the vegetables while stewing the beef with her special curry sauce. Riko had insisted that she used a whole bunch of vitamin, protein and iron rich food to help build muscle for her beloved team members. It wasn't cheap to get such good products at the market and almost made Sora regret coming here…after all, it came from her budget. Taking a small spoonful of her curry, Sora took a sip and smiled in relief that it turned out well. All she needed to do now present it and cut the loaves into halves for each person.

"Riko, I really don't think this is enough, considering how much Kagami eats."

"It's fine. They usually don't have big lunches anyway."

Riko walked outside and whistled to call the squad in, like calling in the hounds. It was amusing to see how they flocked to Riko like chicks to their mother hen. Seeing that image made Sora chuckle earning the confused glances of the crew.

"You've done well today, so Sora and I will be treating you to some curry. Eat up and we'll go back to training! Good work!"

So Sora began to hand out the bowls of her curry and handed each member half a loaf which they took with gratitude.

"Man! This is crazy good!"

"I forgot how delicious Sora's food is!"

Sora could feel her face grow warmer at the compliments but for the sake of her stoic and intimidating appearance, she turned around and pretended to busy herself with cleaning up. This didn't go unnoticed by the gang as they snickered at the girl's reaction. Sure she was somewhat cold at first but deep down, she really was just a sweet girl.

"Neh, Sora-Chan! Thanks for the food!"

"Yeah! It was good!"

Sora mumbled a reply. She felt a soothing presence behind her, instantly knowing that it was Kuroko.

"Is there something you needed Kuroko?"

"No, I just wanted to thank you. It was delicious."

 _Like how you use to make it back then._ Kuroko wanted to say but his mouth clamped shut as if his body was trying to tell him not to say anything. _She doesn't need to know._ To his surprise, she turned towards him, her eyes looking into his as if she was searching for answers, as if subconsciously, she knew something about her was missing. Thankfully, she didn't ask him anything of the sort.

"Thank you. If you like it, you should come to The Den with the others after practice for dinner. I'll make you something. It's closed for a few days until my father comes home so it'll be okay for you guys to drop by."

Kuroko nodded in agreement, a faint smile seemed to appear on his face but was once again replaced by the sad almost disappointed expression. Sora wanted to ask why he always made that face at her but she knew it would be rude to do so; she let it slide once again.

After Riko and Sora cleaned up the bowls and cutlery, they watched as the boys continued to train as the sun began to set. Sora walked down the hill to a soft patch of grass and rested against it. She gazed up with a soft smile across her face. The sky was beginning to fade from the cool blue into pink, purple, orange, yellow but most prominently, crimson. The sunset was one of her favourite things to look at. She loved how all the colours mashed together and soothed the heart. It was truly a beautiful thing to see. However, something about that crimson made her heart hurt ever so slightly.

"Oi!"

The sudden shout startled Sora as she turned around to see that Kagami was walking towards her. The fading sunlight illuminated his sweat sheen body. She wasn't flustered at the fact that all of them were topless but Kagami's body was impressive. Every prominent muscle looked perfect on his body with nothing out of place, like a sculpture.

"What are you staring at?"

Sora turned away to face the sinking sun.

"The sunset."

"Every time you're here, I always see you stare it."

"I like the sunset. Is that a problem?"

Kagami huffed and sat down next to her and stared at the sunset, trying to see what fascinated the girl so much that she would stare at it like a lost lover.

"I was just asking! You didn't need to be so fricking cold all the time."

"Sorry."

"Say that like you actually mean it!"

"Sorry."

"Man, you're infuriating."

The two continued to gaze up at the sky as the sun eventually vanished below the horizon and the sky became a dark navy. _Navy…_

"I finally found you Kagami-kun, Sora-Chan."

Kagami jumped up and fell on Sora who grunted at the sudden weight on her body.

"GAH! Kuroko! Don't sneak up on people dammit!"

"Sorry Kagami-kun, Coach was looking for you and Sora-Chan. We're all about to head home now."

"Kagami, please get off me. You're crushing my arm."

Kagami leapt up and stuttered his apology over and over like some incantation. The trio began to walk back to the training grounds where they were dismissed. Riko took Sora's hand and together they walked to their home. Upon approaching, they noticed two strange cloaked figures standing at the front and trying to peer into the window.

"They don't look familiar."

Riko whispered to Sora who nodded as the two slowly approached the strangers.

"Can we help you?"

The two figures visibly flinched as they slowly turned around to face the two girls who were alert and cautious.

"Do you know Aida Kagetora? We are looking for him."

Sora frowned, trying to read their body language to see if they were dangerous but she couldn't feel any evil intent.

"He is currently away on business. Why do you need to see him?"

"I see…Is there a possible chance he will be home soon?"

Riko began to size them up. She must have seen that last question as some sort of threat,

"Answer my question first. Why are you looking for him?"

Once again, they avoided the question. Whoever they were, they were adamant to find Kagetora and Sora edged forward, ready to take them down if it became necessary.

"We are from Rakuzan. We heard that he was training the Seirin team so we are here to speak with him."

Sora and Riko looked to each other, unsure how to tackle this situation. Sora nodded and turned to the figures.

"Fine but first, tell us who you are and show us your faces and proof that you are from Rakuzan."

The two figures nodded and pulled the hood off of their heads. The faint lighting from the oil lamps outside the bar revealed two young men. One of them was a tall rather feminine looking guy. He had medium length ebony hair and a rather flirtatious smirk on his face. The other one had light orange hair and cat-ish grin. He was relatively shorter than the ebony haired one. Both revealed a badge to show that they were indeed from Rakuzan. The familiar crest with a phoenix soaring into the sky.

"My name is Mibuchi Reo. And this is Hayama Kotaro. We are members of the Rakuzan team."

"Alright, please come inside. I'll get you a drink. You can tie your horses to the posts on the side. Don't worry, no one will steal them or any of your belongings."

Sora thought it was odd that Mibuchi referred to himself as a female but using a feminine style of speaking (the way females would speak). The other odd thing was that the two didn't seem worried which surprised her, nevertheless, she invited the two inside and brought out two mugs of warm hot chocolate. The aroma wafted around the room and Mibuchi and Hayama almost lost their composure to the rich chocolate smell.

"Thank you very much um…"

"Sora, Aida Sora."

"Thank you Sora-Chan!"

She frowned at Hayama with confusion. _Why is he acting so familiar? Is he just naturally friendly? Sounds like Koganei._

"I'm afraid you are mistaken because our father is not the coach of the team. My sister Riko is the coach so if you are here about the Summer Trials, then you will be speaking to her. Are you hungry? I will make you something while you speak with her."

Mibuchi and Hayama looked at each other in shock. They probably didn't expect Riko to be the coach of the team, after all, it was very strange to have a female coach.

"No, that's quite alright Sora-san."

Sora nodded as she headed upstairs while the three conversed about rules and other things that didn't really interest Sora. Sora didn't really need to know about these things, after all, she wasn't going. Someone had to stay behind to look after the place.

"Sora! Can you come down here for a second?!"

Just as Sora was about to hit the bed and rest, she was summoned and with a groan trod down the wooden staircase.

"What's wrong?"

Riko patted the spot next to her as she faced the two Rakuzan members.

"The team needs a manager to help with organizing all of the paperwork and to take care of our members. I was wondering if you would want to be our manager."

Sora sort of expected this kind of question. Riko couldn't cook, take care of the paperwork and train the boys all by herself…it would drive her insane. The hesitation in Sora's response brought a worried look on Riko's face. If the team didn't have a manager, then they wouldn't make it far into the competition at all

"Sure, I wouldn't mind but who is going to look after The Den? With father gone, there isn't anyone to look after it."

"Father said he would be back tomorrow right?"

"Yes. But would he be back in time for us to leave and arrive at Rakuzan in time for the competition?"

Mibuchi could see the concern on the girls' faces. Riko was afraid that the team wouldn't make it without a manager while Sora was worried that something might happen to their home if she went. _Gah, what a pickle this is. Although, I am surprised at how responsible these girls are. Nothing like the riff raff back at Rakuzan who only care about wealth, looks and being appealing enough to attract all kinds of suitors. It would be a shame if they couldn't come._

"It took Reo-nee and I about a week to travel here by horse. And the Summer Trials aren't until another 2 weeks right?"

"Yes, so you will have plenty of time. It would be a real shame if Seirin couldn't make it."

Sora knew the importance of her decision and the fact that this competition would be their first proper battle against other teams since forming the team last year.

"Alright. I'll be the manager. Can you tell us which path you took to get here?"

"Of course! If you continue to follow the street, you will eventually reach a forest. Stay on the path and when you reach the first fork in the forest, take the right path. Keep going along that path and you will eventually reach the end of the forest. I suggest, you stop there and take a rest because further on, you might not get a chance to rest for another day or so. The path will become quite dangerous since you will have to cross a mountain pass and I heard that there are some dangerous creatures there. We were fortunate enough to not come across any. There will be a marked path that you will follow. It will be indicated by large arrow carvings in the mountain. Only follow the ones that have been marked with a red slash underneath. If you follow them correctly, you should get down the mountain and arrive at flowing fields of green hills. From there, the path is very simple, you continue to follow the gravel road that has been paved and it will lead you straight to Rakuzan. You can rest after you cross the mountain as it is safe due to the wards."

While Mibuchi was rambling on, Sora made notes of what he had said exactly so they wouldn't get lost or worse, killed.

"Thank you very but Mibuchi-kun. Have you got a place to spend the night?"

"Yes, there is an inn just further up the street. Thank you very much for the hot chocolate Sora-san, it was delicious."

Sora's lips perked up slightly at the compliment. Sora may seem like a complex creature but she was actually very simple. She often blushed and felt happy when someone compliments her cooking. Mibuchi noticed that the entire time, Sora didn't even take her eyes off them or smile or show any emotion until he complimented her hot chocolate which caused her to go pink and smile. _How adorable. Although, she somehow reminds me of him._

"Yeah! Thanks for the hot chocolate! It was super good! Also, you look super cute when you smile!"

Sora's smile began to fade at Hayama's last compliment about her appearance. _I guess she only likes it when someone compliments her cooking._ Her expression returned to its natural passive state and Mibuchi almost hissed at Hayama for ruining the moment.

"You are most welcome."

"Mibuchi-kun and Hayama-kun, when you will be returning to Rakuzan?"

"Tomorrow actually. We were only sent to tell you about the competition and the way to get to Rakuzan. It would have been easier if Akashi had just sent a messenger falcon instead of us."

 _Akashi? Who is that?_

"Who is Akashi?"

Mibuchi and Hayama froze and stared at Sora in shock.

"You don't know him?"

"No, is he your coach?"

The two looked at each other again before turning to Riko who was looking at her sister in a very confused manner.

"No, Sei-Chan is our captain but he is also the heir to the throne. He is the crown prince."

"Seriously?! You didn't know about Akashi-sama? God, I thought you did."

Sora glared at her sister before turning to the two men in an attempt to explain why.

"Look, I know about the Crown Prince because I hear the customers talk about the royal family sometimes, however, his name is never mentioned. People only refer to him as 'Crown Prince' or The Young Lord. You should also know that I don't dig my nose into other people's businesses or conversations. I don't eavesdrop."

Riko pouted at Sora's explanation because she knew that Sora wasn't lying. Sora was honest to a fault and never liked to eavesdrop or gossip. She only knew things when people told her or if she saw or read it herself.

"Anyway, thank you very much for coming Mibuchi-kun, Hayama-kun. I'm sorry if it was of any inconvenience for you to come here."

"Nah! That's alright Riko-san. It's nice to sometimes get out and explore. We'll be going now! Bye Bye Riko-san! Sora-Chan!"

Mibuchi and Hayama stood up and headed outside. They grabbed their horses and headed to the inn.

Sora grabbed the empty mugs and cleaned them while Riko made sure to lock all the doors and windows in the bar. _The crown prince, Akashi Sei-Sei….Hm…his name doesn't ring a bell. I've lived here for 5 years now and yet, this is the first time I heard his name._

"Since I'm the team's manager now, I guess I'm going to have to come with you to each training session right?"

"Yeah, I think you should brush up on the rules. You already know the playing styles of each person already so it won't be a problem to help me with coming up with training regime and dietary plans. Also, you might need to learn some basic first aid just in case someone gets hurt."

"Alright, since you are quite skilled in first aid, I'll be learning from you."

"Sure. Anyway, let's get to bed. It's almost midnight."

Sora hopped into bed next to Riko who had already, miraculously, fallen asleep. She placed a quick peck on Riko's forehead before drifting into a pleasant sleep.

 _A young boy stood outside on a balcony, staring up at the sun as it slowly disappears beneath the horizon. He hears some quiet footsteps approach behind him. He recognizes those footsteps so he doesn't turn around. The person stood beside him and glanced up to watch the sunset as well._

" _Neh, why do like looking at the sunset so much?"_

" _No reason…It's beautiful, but you like looking at it too."_

" _I guess so. I also think the setting sun is beautiful but that's not the reason why I look at it."_

" _Then tell me why you like looking at the sunset."_

 _The figure turns to face the boy, a refreshing and innocent smile plastered on her face as she stared straight into his eyes and in them, she saw the entire world._

" _Because it reminds me of your hair."_

 **End of chapter**

 **So…How was that chapter? Was it alright? I think by now, you guys can somewhat guess who Sora is and her connection to the Crimson Haired boy. Although, I haven't exactly decided if I should pair up Akashi with Sora or if I should do Aomine with Sora or Kise and Sora or maybe Kagami and Sora. I dunno. Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter because it will be coming soon. THANKS FOR READING!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – Revelation**

 **Hello everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far. I'm sorry if it's a bit slow but I've learnt from my other fanfics that I often make the story progress too quickly so it sounds rushed. Please leave a review so I can know what to fix if there is anything that annoys you or looks out of place.**

 **THANK YOU VERY MUCH!**

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM KNB**

The next day, Sora went with Riko to train the boys. Since the competition was just around the corner, Riko had intensified the training with slight modifications for each member depending on their fighting style. Whilst they trained and practiced, Sora sat with Riko who taught her first aid and the rules. By lunch time, Sora's head was spinning with all the information that had been crammed into her brain.

"OI! Kuroko! Don't sneak up on people!"

"But I was here the whole time."

"I don't care! Stop trying to scare everyone."

"But I'm not."

"HEY! SHUT IT AND GET BACK TO TRAINING YOU FIRST YEARS!"

"EH? Kuroko-kun and Kagami-kun argue but we get told off too?!"

"HEH? YOU DARE TALK BACK TO YOUR SENPAI!"

"Hyuga! Stop slacking! Kuroko, Kagami…quit arguing and get back to training. Gosh you guys are so loud."

 _I agree…_ Sora groaned as she sat there rereading all the rules and paperwork, practicing first aid as well as helping Riko with the positioning of each member. It was proving to be very difficult with all the noise and constant bickering. She decided that she wasn't going to get anything done here so she gathered up all the paperwork and the rulebook and headed back to the peace and quiet of the empty bar. Hours seemed to go by as she drilled those rules and first aid information into her brain, forcing them to become part of her memory. The words seemed to fly off the page and become unfocused before darkness took over and Sora fell asleep.

When she had woken up again, it was already sunset. _Oh no, I slept for almost half the day._ She wiped the drool that trickled down her chin and decided to freshen up. Whilst washing her face, she heard the click of the bar door opening before a loud clang echoed up the staircase.

"Father is that you?"

"Sora-tan? I'm home!"

Sora rushed down stairs and leapt into her father's arms.

"Welcome home father. How was the trip?"

He squeezed the girl tightly in his arms and pinched her cheeks.

"It was alright. The old geezers want me to go train the older men to be soldiers. That would mean I would have to close down the bar."

Sora frowned at the idea that her father would have to close down the bar and move to the nearby town that was being used as a base for the men and very few women who were training to become brilliant soldiers.

"What did you say?"

He shrugged and began to unpacked his bag,

"I haven't decided. I wanted to discuss this with both you and Riko. Besides, I heard that the team got accepted to enter the Summer Trials."

"Yeah, it's in two weeks but it'll take at least a week to get to Rakuzan. I have also agreed to go with Riko as the team's manager but I wasn't sure because I can't let you look after the bar by yourself."

"Hm…I see. Well, there isn't much you can do. This is a great opportunity for you, Riko and the boys. I want you to go. I will be fine by myself. Just make sure to keep them in check."

Kagetora ruffled the girl's silky soft pale blue hair and placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead. A faint smile found itself on Sora's face. _I guess I can leave him._ Riko came home late that night with Hyuga and Kiyoshi.

"Good evening Sora-Chan."

"Hello Kiyoshi-kun. What brings you and Hyuga-kun here tonight?"

"We're discussing plans before we pack and go to Rakuzan in a day's time. I heard you will be coming with us as our manager!"

Riko looked over at Sora with a worried look, as if she was afraid that Sora would say she wasn't going but thankfully Sora nodded.

"Yes, I will be going with you."

Thus, the four sat around on a table for hours discussing travel plans and training plans. It wasn't until late in the night when Kiyoshi and Hyuga left the two girls to get packing. Riko and Sora grabbed their bags and began to fill it with the necessities. Riko filled hers with 3 water containers, the paperwork, spare clothes and all her coaching gear while Sora filled hers with 4 water containers, the first aid kit and her spare clothes.

"It will be quite warm this time around in Rakuzan but bring a coat Sora."

"Yes mother."

Sora replied with a sarcastic tone. Riko punched Sora in the shoulder with a hmpf before the two double checked their gear and went to bed. Two days later, Sora and Riko woke up before dawn and gathered their belongings as they got ready to leave. Their father had rushed downstairs and helped them make sure that they had everything and cried dramatically.

"I'm going to miss you two! My darling princesses!"

Riko flushed bright red as she began to punch Kagetora in embarrassment while Sora quietly continued to gear up. Being Kagetora's daughters, he had made sure that they were armed and ready for any attack, if one happened. Both Riko and Sora had a dagger tucked away in their boots and a small pistol strapped to their thigh where it was out of sight. However, Sora had also trained with a sword and was quite the swordsman so she had brought along her favourite blade Sky Dancer. She had named it this because her father had told her that she was like a dancer soaring through the clouds and in the sunlight, it shined a faint misty blue colour. It was a light weighted sword that favoured speed over power. The sword was rested against Sora's left thigh.

Before heading off, each girl grabbed a separate bag for their food and food for the horses before they said their goodbyes and headed outside. Carrying at least 4 bags each, Sora and Riko headed to the local stables where their horses were resting. Settled in the stall was Riko's kindhearted and gentle mare, Pine. Pine was a beautiful dark brown with white spots on her legs and medium in size. Riko had named her Pine because she was raised by a man who lived by the pine forest so Pine had a pine smell.

In the stall next to Pine was Sora's unpredictable but loyal stallion, Obsidian. Obsidian was black from head to toe but his eyes shone like stars in the twilight night sky. Obsidian was a wild horse that was captured but was going to be put down because he was too wild for anyone to tame. Something in Sora's heart had called out to the rampant horse and with one look they both knew that they were meant for each other. As if an invisible cord had intertwined their minds and hearts together, Sora had fallen in love with the horse and he had come to trust her completely. Sora had saved Obsidian from death and he would continue to live for her. Obsidian only lets Sora near him, with the exception of the stable master who feeds and cleans him often and Kagetora who shares a mutual respect with the horse.

"Hello Obi, I'm sorry that I haven't come to see you in so long. I know you're probably a bit angry but I've brought sugar cubes."

The horse snorted and snatched the sugar cubes out of Sora's hands and munched on them happily. Sora entered the stall and saddled up the horse, attaching all the bags to the sides of the saddle and made sure that it wasn't too heavy. Leading him out from his stall, Sora swung her leg over the top and positioned herself on top of Obsidian with Riko doing the same with Pine.

"Are you ready Riko?"

"Yep! Let's go to our meeting spot. We'll probably be a bit early."

They reached the end of the town where they waited for the others to arrive. A few minutes later, the second years arrived and a few minutes after that, the first years. When a head count was done and Riko had made sure that everyone had all the appropriate stuff with them, the gang headed off towards Rakuzan.

The trip was going smoothly until day 3 of the travelling where they were half way through the forest when the gang was taking a break and Sora hadn't come back. The gang began to panic as Obsidian was still there but Sora was not. Just as they were about to head off into the forest to look for her, the blunette emerged from the underbrush with a small bundle in her arms.

"SORA! WHERE WERE YOU?! WE THOUGHT OUT GOT LOST OR WORSE, DIED!"

"Woah! Calm down Riko, if you shout too loudly, you'll wake him up."

The crew were confused as to who 'he' was until the bundle began to move and a cute pair of blue eyes appeared. The small wolf pup was snuggling against Sora's warm and soft chest when Riko swooned at how cute the pup was. Hyuga jumped back and pointed at the fuzzy bundle with pure fear and worry in his eyes.

"Why did you take a wolf pup!? Are you crazy Sora-Chan!? What if the parents find out!?"

"He was all alone and there were no signs of any adult wolves anywhere. I know enough about wolves from reading that pups are never left alone by the pack at any time. I couldn't leave him to die so I plan to raise him."

Kagami had scooted far away and was hiding behind the horses while everyone came closer to have a look at the wolf pup. He was white with a very dark grey back and the most beautiful and soulful blue eyes. Upon closer inspection, the gang noticed that he looked like someone.

"Hey, don't you think he looks like someone?"

"Yeah, now that I think about it, those eyes look familiar."

Sora picked him up and looked at his eyes and noticed that expression the pup had on his cute face.

"He has the same eyes as Kuroko."

Everyone went into an uproar as they agreed with the blunette and Koganei placed the wolf pup on top of Kuroko's head and it uncanny that Kuroko and the wolf pup looked alike.

"Let's call him Tetsuya Nigou! Or Nigou for short!"

"No! We are not keeping him! Don't get too attached!"

"But Hyuga, I want to keep him."

"No Riko!"

Eventually, the gang had to move on but felt too guilty to leave Nigou behind so they took him along with them. Nigou had gotten especially attached to Kuroko and Sora so he rode with Kuroko. Kagami had moved from beside Kuroko to the front with Sora to avoid being near Nigou.

"Kagami…are you afraid of wolves like you are of dogs?"

"NO! I told you I'm not afraid…I just don't get along well with them."

Sora rolled her eyes and allowed Kagami to keep her company as they continued to move through the forest for another day. It took them another 2 days to get over the mountain without any trouble before they reached the border of Rakuzan where they decided to camp to rest. Finally after another 2 and half days of travelling, they reached the Capital.

As they rode into the streets, they noticed the incredible difference between Rakuzan's very well off city and Seirin's modest town. The gang approached the city centre where the Summer Trials were to be held to register and confirm their appearance in the trials. Sitting on a desk was a middle aged man dressed in formal and important clothing and a golden tag was pinned to his shirt saying 'Higuchi Shota, Manager of Rakuzan'. Riko walked up to him with Sora beside her as the boys waited further away.

"How may I help you?"

"We are here to register Seirin's team for the Summer Trials."

"Please tell me your names."

"Aida Riko and Aida Sora. I am the Coach and Sora is the team's manager."

The guy seemed taken aback due to the fact that Riko was the coach of a relatively new team that had just gotten recognized by the Council to participate in any national competitions.

"I see. Then please fill in this form."

So Riko filled it in and signed her name at the bottom and handed it over to Sora who also signed her name at the bottom. Riko handed it back to Higuchi who gave them the keys to their designated inn rooms, locker room, some crimson cards that was meant to allow them permission to the training grounds and other facilities in the inn and arena and a handbook.

"You can access the training grounds and other facilities at the arena with that crimson card so please have it with you at all times. If you lose it, you will not be allowed in and we cannot give you another one."

With that Riko and Sora thanked Higuchi and headed towards the boys. Sora distributed the inn room keys to each of the members.

"So we have 5 rooms. One for Sora and I, one for Hyuga, Izuki and Kiyoshi, one for Koganei, Mitobe and Tsuchida, one for Furihata, Fukuda and Kawahara and the last room is for Kuroko and Kagami. Look after these keys because if you lose them, you are dead to me…Got it?"

Everyone nodded their heads furiously with a terrified expression on their faces. Riko's threats were never to be taken lightly.

"Let's go and drop off our things to our rooms. I want to go explore."

"Good idea. We'll drop off the horses…"

The stables themselves were so grand. It was like a 5 star inn for horses. Other people were staring as the team walked into the stall. Some stared with interest, others with curiosity but many were staring with confusion like Seirin weren't meant to be here. Sora lead Obsidian into his stall and removed the saddle and bags while gently stroking his mane.

"Look, I know you probably don't like the other horses or the other people but you've got Pine and Winter next to you so don't worry. But if someone tries to take you away, you bite them. Show them that you still got spirit."

Obsidian huffed and then turned around and stuck his rear end towards Sora. She rolled her eyes and muttered 'Drama Queen' before picking up the bags and heading out. The gang carried their many bags to the inn which was swarming with people who were wondering around greeting others or simply trying to find their rooms. Kuroko had hidden Nigou inside one of his bags and because no one even noticed Kuroko's presence, there was no danger of finding Nigou.

Both Riko and Sora received curious looks and not so pleasant looks as they walked past several groups of people. Sora noticed upon glancing around that there were no other women. There were just men everywhere and most of them were looking at her in a not so comforting way. Eventually they found their rooms on the second floor right at the end of the hall. The boys' rooms were directly opposite each other while Riko's and Sora's was alone beside Kuroko's and Kagami's.

The rooms were spacious and more than decent with comfortable beds and a large balcony for fresh air and star gazing. The inn had shared bathrooms for both male and female competitors or coaches but it seemed like only Riko and Sora would be using them for now. Whilst Riko was unpacking, Sora decided to grab her room key, crimson permission card and stuffed it into her money pouch and placed it safely within her coat pocket and head out to explore. The others were taking far too long to settle in.

The streets were full of people who, in some ways, looked like glamorous robots walking along the sides of the streets. Everyone was dressed so nicely in contrast to the outer ring of the city where people were rather ordinary. It seemed that Rakuzan had the richer and more 'important' people closer to the middle while the ordinary lived on the outside. Sora noticed that in the north was the castle. It wasn't as she imagined it to be. Instead of the gleaming white castle with towering turrets and medieval looking type structure, it was more like a large mansion with pale walls and fluttering crimson everywhere.

 _I'll check it out later. I highly doubt anyone can go there anyway._

With that Sora headed back to the arena to have a look. Showing her permission card to the guard, he let her in and Sora could see that it was more grand and spectacular on the inside than it was on the outside. She glanced by to see many people were already training in the open training grounds with many slicing off the heads of the mannequins or impaling dozens of arrows into the hearts of the targets.

After wondering around for an hour or two Sora made her way out of the arena and into the busy crowd. She decided to follow the crowd around the streets, gliding past all the food stores as new and brilliant scents filled her nose. Her stomach grumbled slightly and she headed to one of the stores when something crashed into her sending both Sora and the other person tumbling to the ground in a heap.

"Oww…ow…Omg! Are you alright?! I am so sorry. I didn't see you there. There was so many people and I was in a rush and I wasn't looking where I was going and I hurt you omg!OMG!"

Sora winced before looking up to see a very beautiful girl bowing her head and apologizing, her long luscious pink hair tumbled down her back which matched the dark pink colour of her eyes. The girl was wearing a simple but beautiful plain salmon pink dress that fit her curvy body perfectly.

"It's alright. I'm not hurt."

"Thank goodness. I'll make it up to you-"

The girl looked up and instantly stopped speaking, her eyes widened like a stunned deer and her mouth gaped wide open. Sora looked at her confused before the girl burst into tears and wailed like a child. In the blink of an eye, the girl enveloped Sora in a crushing hug mumbling and wailing something that Sora couldn't make out. Her face was filled with joy but also sadness like seeing a long lost relative or something.

"Um, are you alright? Is there something wrong?"

"WAHHHHH! I-I C-C-CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S REALLY YOU! OMG… WE-WE THOUGHT YOU D-DIED WHEN YOU COULDN'T FIND YOU AND-AND EVERYONE WAS SO SAD. THERE WAS A-A-A FUNERAL AND EVERYTHING. WHY DID YOU LEAVE US TAMI-CHAN?!"

Unsure of what to do, Sora sat the girl down and bought her a drink to try and calm her down. The girl was still hysterical and bawling her eyes out but at least she wasn't clutching onto Sora.

"I'm sorry but I think you have the wrong person. My name is Aida Sora not Tami-Chan."

"It can't be! You have the same hair, the same eyes, the same face and the same voice!"

Sora shook her head and the girl's smile changed from pure joy to a solemn and depressed grin.

"I'm sorry. It's just I lost my best friend 5 years ago. She was just like you but she was talkative and energetic and her name was Okuma Tamiko. She went missing after her carriage was attacked and her parents were found dead- oops…I shouldn't be saying this."

"That's alright. I won't tell anyone. It's not my business to spread secrets around."

"Thank you. I have to go now. I hope I see you around?"

"Okay."

The pinkette apologized one last time before she disappeared into the crowd. _Well, that was weird. But it's very strange…She had that same expression that Kuroko had when he first saw me. He called me Tamiko-Chan. Is there a connection between this Tamiko girl, Kuroko and that pink haired girl? I'd better get back to the inn. Riko must be looking for me._

Sure enough, when Sora approached the arena on the way back to the inn, she spotted Kagami and Kuroko with Nigou peeking out from Kuroko's coat. When Kagami spotted her as well, they approached her and Nigou hopped out from beneath Kuroko's coat to greet Sora.

"Hi there Nigou. Are you out on a walk?"

"Barrff! Barrrf!"

The wolf pup snuggled up against Sora's chest and she kept him there in her coat like Kuroko had done.

"There you are! God we were looking for you everywhere! Where the hell were you?!"

"Sorry…I was looking around the arena and exploring the city when I ran into a strange girl with pink hair. She mistook me for someone so we had a drink together and we cleared up the misunderstanding."

Sora caught Kuroko's expression change slightly from his usual passive to a questioning look but it vanished.

"Anyway, Coach said that we could go explore but be back before sunset and if we found you to tell you that she was going to hit you later."

"Of course she did. If you don't mind, I'd like to continue exploring with you."

"Yeah, whatever, let's go. I'm hungry. You see any nice places to eat?"

"Hm…"

So the trio walked together around the busy streets of Rakuzan. Sora and Kagami went around taste testing with Kuroko telling them to take it easy before they spent all their money. They eventually arrived at a stall selling very well crafted weaponry.

"Hello gentlemen and lady! Is there anything that catches your eyes?"

"Not yet, we'll continue looking."

"Of course! Please take your time."

There was an assortment of blades from large broad swords to rapiers to daggers to throwing knives. None would match with Sky Dancer though. Kuroko and Kagami didn't seem to need any new weaponry either, so after glancing over the shiny and dazzling blades, the trio moved on much to the chagrin of the merchant. The sun moved high into the sky and Sora began to feel the heat. She took off her coat and so Nigou had to walk.

Kagami shuffled over and had Kuroko stand in the middle so that he was as far away from Nigou as possible. Sora laughed at how Kagami, how could be so brash and confident, was brought to his knees by the cutest little wolf pup. The trio continued to wonder around, looking at all the buildings and stores and remembering their location so that, if they were alone, they would know where to go.

"Hey! Isn't that the castle?"

He pointed to the north of the city. From this location, Sora could see the castle better and the fact that it had a path that lead up there for carriages. There were fields of green that surrounded the castle and it looked magnificent.

"Yes Kagami-kun. That's the castle."

"Do you think we'd be able to go there? I wanna check it out."

"Kagami, I don't think we can."

But Kagami wasn't listening. He was already making his way towards the path with adventure in his eyes. Kuroko looked over to Sora who sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. With no other choice, they followed him towards the castle to prevent him from causing any trouble. As they sauntered up the path, Sora felt a pang of familiarity but brushed it aside. When they finally arrived at the castle, they were stopped by a large jet black gate and 4 guards standing at the front.

"You are not allowed to be up here. Please head back."

"I told you. Let's go before we get in trouble. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

Sora bowed to the guards but Kagami stood there impressed and stared through the gates. Kuroko was also standing beside Kagami but Kuroko had a different expression; he was smiling.

"Kuroko, Kagami… we'd better go."

The two didn't move. The guards began to get on edge as one of them placed a hand on his sword and threatened to use force if the trio didn't leave. Finally Kuroko turned back and got Kagami to head off with him. The trio were about to walk down the hill when the screeching of the gates caught their attention and they heard the sound of chatter.

"Why'd we have to go down there Satsuki? Let me go back to my place to sleep. I've already spent the fucking morning in some boring meeting with them."

"Mo Dai-Chan! You're so lazy. Besides, I have to go check out this year's competitors. I heard there is a new team this year."

"You can do that yourself."

"But Dai-Chan!"

"Shut it Satsuki! I'm going back inside."

Sora saw Kuroko flinch slightly before turning around to face the approaching strangers. Sora decided that it was probably a good idea to have a look at these people too. From the sounds of things, they were probably competitors too. When she turned around, she saw two people who looked about her age. One of them was a tall male, about Kagami's height, who was very tanned with dark blue hair and fierce but lazy eyes. He was muscular and looked like he was possibly as strong as Kagami…no…even stronger. Something about him made her heart pang. _I feel like I've seen him before. In a dream?_

Beside him was a curvy girl who was also about her age. She had waist length pale pink hair and bright pink eyes. She was taller than Sora and more voluptuous and was very beautiful. She also looked vaguely familiar which seemed strange since Sora had never left Seirin before nor had she seen anyone with hair like them. Kuroko on the other hand looked like he knew them.

"It's been a while hasn't it, Aomine-kun, Momoi-san."

The two froze, their eyes widened before the girl tackled Kuroko to the floor and the tanned male just rolled his eyes.

"Dang it Satsuki! Do you always have to do this when you see Tetsu?"

"I've missed you so much Tetsu-kun! It's been so long!"

Kagami and Sora exchanged confused glances. The fact that Kuroko seemed to be very calm meant that he knew these people and he knew them well enough. Then the tanned male, Aomine, turned to face Kagami first who he sneered at before his eyes drifted down to Sora. Aomine flinched as his eyes met Sora's.

"No fucking way. It can't be….Tami?"

Momoi looked up and hugged Sora.

"This was the girl I was talking about Dai-Chan! She looks like Tami-Chan doesn't she?"

"What the hell are you talking about?! That is Tami! She looks exactly like her!"

"It's not! I told you stupid Dai-Chan!"

Aomine walked over and helped Kuroko get up who dusted himself off while Kagami and Sora looked at each other, equally confused and unsure of what to do. Aomine kept his eyes on Sora and she could see the pain in his eyes like he wasn't sure he could believe Momoi. He was adamant that this girl, no matter who she said she was, was Tamiko.

"Tetsu, you have a lot of explaining to do."

 **End of chapter**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter guys! I thought that it was about time that Sora met someone from the GOM. Please comment down below if you thought something was strange or you wanted to see something else. I'll be sure to take your opinions and comments into consideration while writing. Thank you very much!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – Fleeting**

 **Hello! I am so happy to see that people are reading this fanfic and some are enjoying it. I hope that the rest of the fanfic doesn't disappoint you guys, so let's get to it.**

 _Tetsu, you have a lot of explaining to do_

Sora was thinking the same thing. _How was it that this strange tanned male and the voluptuous pinkette beside him mistaken me for the exact same person that Kuroko had when he first met me?_

"I know. Can I speak with the two of you privately please? Sora-Chan and Kagami-kun, please stay here for a minute."

Kagami stepped forward to question Kuroko but she knew that Kuroko had things to say to these two that didn't concern Kagami or her, so Sora placed her right arm in front of Kagami and restricted him from taking another step. She shook her head at Kagami and nodded at Kuroko who returned the gesture with a faint smile before walking away with the other two. Sora didn't fail to notice the strange glance that the tanned male gave her before the trio vanished around the corner.

"Why'd you do that?"

"We should respect Kuroko's decision Kagami. It seems that they have some sort of issue that Kuroko doesn't want us to know so it's best to not pry into other people's businesses. We'll continue to look around."

"What? But – he – they – fine."

Kagami stuck close to Sora, thinking that she might disappear on him and leave him alone with Nigou who was happily trotting along beside the blunette. Rakuzan was huge and the markets were like a never-ending labyrinth that continued to take people around in circles. Eventually, the dense and hot crowd got to Kagami who asked to find somewhere to sit.

"Alright. I'm rather thirsty myself. Let's go gets some drinks."

"Finally! Rakuzan is so jam packed."

Sora bought Kagami and herself coconut juice which was good for hydration and tasted ever so sweet and a glass of water for Nigou. While Kagami sat there fanning himself and complaining about the endless stream of people, Sora quietly sipped her coconut juice and thought about who the strange people could be and their relation to Kuroko. Most importantly, Sora thought about why they had mistaken her for this 'Tami/Tami-Chan' person.

~While with Kuroko~

"I didn't expect you to take me to your place Aomine-kun."

"Shut up. It's the other place that other people won't be listening in on us. So tell us why the hell Tami is with you and why she doesn't remember us!"

Kuroko didn't even know where to start. Even in the two-ish years that he had been with Sora, he constantly debated whether Sora was Tamiko or not. At times, they were far too similar but other times, they were very different.

"I don't know. I'm not even sure if she really is Tamiko-san or not. From what I was told, Sora-Chan had appeared in Seirin about five years ago with no memories of her past. At first, I thought that it was definitely Tamiko-san but then her personality was very different. Even if she lost her memories, her character should be the same. Tamiko-san was a very cheerful and upbeat person but Sora-Chan is very quiet and cold. There is lots of evidence to show that she is and isn't Tamiko-san."

Both Aomine and Momoi were quiet as they listened to Kuroko. They had to agree that it was very hard to know if she was Tamiko or not since there was so much evidence to argue that she wasn't.

"But Tami-Chan was very close to Akashi-kun. Maybe if we brought her to Akashi-kun…she might remember?"

"Satsuki are you nuts!? That Akashi bastard would go crazy. You remember what he was like when she vanished. You want him to fucking lose it again? Besides, we were close to her too and you saw what happened. She doesn't remember any of us. Not even Tetsu."

"Mo! I was just suggesting something. You didn't have to be so mean about it! Stupid DAI-CHAN!"

Kuroko ignored their bickering and continued with his explanation.

"I have to agree with Aomine-kun. It is best that we keep her away from Akashi-kun and the others until we are sure that Sora-Chan is Tamiko-san. Until then, you must not call her Tamiko but Sora."

Reluctantly, Aomine and Momoi agreed and swore to keep it a secret until they figured out something. However, Aomine couldn't help but believe that Sora was Tamiko. She had to be. Aomine was very close with her when they were younger, they were constantly around one another and he knew her like the back of his hand. This girl, who looked 100% like Tamiko and called herself Sora, was definitely Tamiko. The fact that she appeared five years ago at Seirin with no memories of her past was enough evidence to prove that she was Tamiko because five years ago, Tamiko vanished. But for now, Aomine had no choice but to wait.

Kuroko spent another hour or so explaining the plan to Momoi and Aomine who, once again, agreed to listen and make sure that Sora would not meet anyone else from the GOM; especially Akashi. Seeing that it was getting late, Kuroko said his farewells and best wishes to Aomine and Momoi for the Summer Trials and headed back to the market, hopefully to find Kagami and Sora before anyone from the GOM did.

~Back with Sora~

"What the hell is taking Kuroko so long?!"

Sora didn't bother to answer. She was too caught in her thoughts to notice her surroundings or Kagami. She didn't even realize that she had finished her juice and was drinking from an empty glass.

"Earth to Sora!"

 _Well, there is no point in over thinking things at the moment._

Sora placed the glass back onto the table and noticed that the crowd was getting restless further down the street. Kagami heard too and turned around with a confused looked on his face. Suddenly, groups of women of all ages came rushing onto the street, squealing and giggling as the crowd began to get closer.

"What on earth is going on? Kagami, can you see?"

"Let's go and check it out then."

Sora picked up Nigou and wondered over slowly with Kagami was the crowd grew bigger and got closer with each step. Eventually, she noticed that there was a flash of yellow before Kuroko appeared out of nowhere and directed the duo into an empty alleyway.

"Kuroko!? Where the hell have you been?! And stop popping up from no where!"

"We should head back."

"OI! Answer my question."

"We'll go around the other way. We should avoid that crowd."

"Why? What's wrong with it Kuroko? I'm rather curious to see what all the fuss is about."

"It's just Kise-kun. Like Aomine-kun, he is a member of the generation of miracles."

 _Generation of miracles? I've heard Riko talk about them before. The elite of elites. Five incredibly talented and important members that make up the Teiko Alliance. So the tanned guy is Aomine and is a part of the GOM and so is this Kise. The Crown Prince, Akashi Seijuro, is also the a part of it but he is the leader right?_

"The generation of miracles? So this guy is super strong then. I want to meet him!"

Kagami began to storm over to the crowd but Kuroko grabbed his leg and tripped him, causing Kagami to fall face first into the pavement. Kagami sat up, furious as his nose began to flush red.

"Hey! Why'd you do that!?"

"Let's go Sora-san."

"DON'T IGNORE ME!"

So Sora and Kuroko waited until the crowd passed by before walking in the opposite direction back to the inn with Kagami trailing behind grumbling like a child.

"So what is your connection to the GOM Kuroko? You seem to know a lot about them."

"Before I came to Seirin, I lived with my grandmother at a town on the border of Rakuzan and Seirin. One day, my grandmother grew ill and we didn't have enough money to buy her medicine. I heard of a competition held at Rakuzan that I could enter which had money prize. I only needed to come about 4th in my age bracket to have enough money for the medicine. So I asked my best friend to look after my grandmother while I was gone. I didn't make it very far into the competition because, as you know, I am a shadow. I don't do well with that type of combat however, while I was competing, I met Aomine-kun. We eventually became friends. I constantly sent letters back home to see if my grandmother was alright. I was with Aomine-kun when I first met Akashi-kun. He grew interested in my abilities so he made me a deal. He would bring my grandmother here and get her the treatment she needs if I agree to live here and have him train me to use my abilities. I agreed."

"I see, so you grew close to the GOM because the Crown Prince wanted to train you and improve your abilities."

Kuroko nodded. Kagami was also listening and he was intrigued.

"I was extremely happy, not only was I achieving my dream but my grandmother was being well looked after. It didn't last long though. One day, a very close friend of mine vanished. This was the catalyst for everything that happened afterwards. The GOM became colder and at the same time, their abilities grew immensely to the point where my abilities were no longer needed. The group still managed to hang on because of Akashi-kun but then he snapped one day and became a whole different person. Someone so fearsome that I couldn't take it anymore. My grandmother then passed away of a natural cause and I decided to leave. I couldn't stand to be there anymore. So I came to Seirin."

Sora felt so much sympathy for Kuroko. Sure, Sora had lost her memories and any knowledge of her past but Kuroko lost his closest friends and family. In a way, she could relate to how he must have felt and maybe that was why she was drawn to him. Maybe fate had tied their strings together and lead them to meet one another.

"Sorry, I didn't know you had such a hard past. But you have us now."

Kuroko looked up at Kagami who was staring ahead with a passive expression. Kagami didn't want to say that he respected and somewhat looked up to Kuroko but he really did respect Kuroko. When he first met Kuroko, he had mocked him and told him that he was weak but now, he could say that Kuroko was definitely stronger than anyone he has met.

"I agree with Kagami. We may not be able to be like the GOM but we can be better. Seirin will not leave you like the GOM did. They may have been your friends but we are your family."

"Thank you, Sora-san, and Kagami-kun."

With no further words exchanged, Kuroko, Sora and Kagami arrived back at the inn to find that there was no one present. No one from Seirin or any other team. A note was plastered on the door of Sora's room to say that they had gone to the arena and that if the trio had returned, they should head there too.

"I guess we have no other choice. Maybe there was a meeting that we missed?"

"We better hurry then."

The trio then rushed out of the inn and headed to the arena where two guards were standing in front.

"We're members from Seirin."

Sora showed them the crimson card and the guards let them through but the one of the left smirked,

"You're very late. I wouldn't recommend being late to another meeting again. The organizers don't like it when people are late."

Sora thanked the two with a short bow before she walked down the corridor behind Kuroko and Kagami who quietly snuck in. Sure enough, the teams were stationed in their own rows while there was someone in the middle of the arena talking to them. Sticking to the shadows, the trio tried to spot their team without getting caught. Sora's eyes zoomed through all the faces on the stands and homed in on Riko's frown.

"Over there."

Sora whispered as they crept over to the East side of the arena. It was easy for Kuroko who had a very weak presence so normally no one noticed him anyway but for Kagami who was super tall and easy to spot, it was difficult. Thankfully, everyone was too busy listening to the speaker and didn't notice the trio slide into their empty seats. Luckily Riko was sitting next to an empty seat so Sora sat there.

"Where the hell have you three been? We tried looking for you everywhere!"

"Sorry Riko. We were somewhat preoccupied. What's going on?"

"They're talking about the Summer Trials and how there has been some changes. I'll explain later."

With that Sora shut up and listened to the speaker who was rambling on about how the Summer Trials helped decide who had the best fighters. Those who were deemed excellent fighters would be offered the chance to become part of the royal guard or simply acknowledge as the best fighters, taking home a lot of money for themselves. Sora suddenly realised that the Summer Trials was not merely a competition to see who was strong, but a way to draw attention and impress the nation. It was a pageant. Any awe and motivation went down the drain.

"On the 7th of January, in 3 days time, there will be the Summer Festival that occurs before the Summer Trials. It is not compulsory, but it is to celebrate the union of the Teiko Alliance and all are welcome."

The other members of Seirin beamed at the idea of going to a festival and the gleaming, childish expression on Riko's face suggested that the team would be attending this festival. After more talking about the Summer Festival, the meeting was finally over and everyone began to head out of the arena. As Sora got up from her seat, she noticed that there, higher up on the stands, was a set of colourful hair. Due to her seating position, she wasn't able to see them before and she could guess that the colourful bunch were the Generation of Miracles.

"Sora, let's get going."

"I'm coming…"

When her back was turned to the colourful group, she felt something strange…Like someone was watching her in a careful and calculating way. She didn't want to find out who it was, so she picked up her pace and walked out with her team. Kuroko noticed that Sora was somewhat tense and her eyes briefly flicked to something behind her, so he turned around to see that a pair of crimson and golden eyes were now watching them. The owner had a subtle but terrifying grin on his face. Kuroko gave him a quick bow before turning away and walking behind Sora to hide her from his view.

"Who did you bow to?"

"…Akashi-kun."

No further words were needed as Sora was glad she had turned around and missed meeting eyes with the feared Akashi Seijuro. That strange feeling she had before was most likely his gaze and she didn't like it. The group was leaving when Sora heard a faint voice that was growing louder before a flash of pink hit Kuroko and sent him to the ground.

"TETSU-KUN!"

"Hello Momoi-san."

"Ah! You're that girl from this afternoon!"

"I have a name you know Kagami Taiga! It's Momoi Satsuki! It's so good to see you again Sora-chan!"

Riko frowned at the way the unknown pinkette was addressing her sister.

"Do you know her Sora?"

"Yes, I met her this morning. Likewise, Momoi-san, it's nice to see you again."

"Mo~ Call me Satsuki or Sat-Chan like you use-"

She covered her mouth quickly and laughed nervously before going back to glomping Kuroko. The other members of Seirin were all staring at her with fascination. Their faces were slightly pink and Sora knew what they were thinking. If she followed where their eyes were looking at, she was sure they would be staring at her large breasts.

"Damn it Satsuki, do you always have to run off? Oh, it's you Tetsu."

"Aomine-kun…"

Kagami walked up to Aomine with a fierce smile on his face.

"So, you're one of the Generation of Miracles! I'm going to beat all of you and be number 1."

Aomine didn't even away from Kuroko which annoyed Kagami. Aomine popped his pinky into his ear and scratched it with an uninterest look on his face.

"Who's the scrub Tetsu? I didn't know you would be hanging around such weaklings."

"WHO YOU CALLING A SCRUB ASSHOLE!?"

"Boring…anyway, even with Tetsu, you aren't going to beat me. The only one who can beat me is me. See you around Tetsu."

With that, Aomine picked up Momoi and carried her away leaving everyone but Kagami flabbergasted and confused. Kagami began to steam as he clenched his fists and growled at being humiliated and ignored by Aomine. As he walked past Sora, he looked into her eyes to see if they were the same as Tamiko's. To his surprise, they weren't missing the familiar glow that Tamiko had. He tsked before continuing to walk away despite Momoi kicking and screaming at him to put her down. He didn't want to see Sora. She reminded him too much of Tamiko.

Sora noticed the stares that Hyuga and the others were giving her so she shrugged and shoved her hands into her pockets to find a small piece of folded paper. She opened it up to see, in neat and small handwriting,

 _Hey there Sora-Chan! I was wondering if you would like to hang out with me tomorrow. I was hoping we could go shopping for dresses for the Summer Festival. If you want to, please send me a message to confirm. If you don't feel comfortable with just me, you can bring the other girl. I really want to talk with you!_

 _Love from Momoi Satsuki_

Sora hadn't thought about bringing any dresses along with her because she didn't know about this Summer Festival and it was highly likely that Riko hadn't either.

"Riko, that pink haired girl that attacked Kuroko, her name is Momoi Satsuki and she was wondering if I could go with her tomorrow to buy a dress for the Summer Festival. We didn't bring dresses with us. We can go together with her since she probably knows this place well."

"Hm…I can't. I have to train with the boys tomorrow. We only have 6 days left until the Summer Trials begin and we have our first match on the first day.

"Then, I'll decline her then."

"No, you go. You can pick something out for me. We're about the same size anyway."

"Okay then…Shouldn't I be with you though? Since I'm the manager."

"It's okay Sora. I got it. You go and scout. It's good to know your opponents more than they know you."

Sora nodded. Riko can be scary at times. As the group made their way outside the arena, Sora's ears pricked up at the sound of various voices around her.

"Muro-chin, can we buy more snacks?"

"Sure, it's not too late."

"OWWW! Senpai!"

"Stop waving at the girls!"

Finally, she tuned out. When they arrived back at the inn, Sora went to Kuroko and Kagami's room. She knocked on the door gently and Kuroko opened it after a few moments.

"Kuroko, you wouldn't happen to know where I could find Momoi-san, do you?"

The confused look on Kuroko's face dissipated and turned into curiosity.

"She's with Aomine at their estate. Are you going to see her?"

"She invited me to go shopping for dresses tomorrow and I want to tell her in person rather than send a message."

"I see, I can go with you."

"Really? Thanks Kuroko."

Without further ado, Kuroko led Sora to the large manor that was situated to the west of the castle which Sora couldn't help but continue to admire. The sun created a crimson glow on the walls and castle grounds. Sora couldn't help but notice that Kuroko sped up and took an alternative route when they approached the castle but she didn't want to question why. It took a lot of will power to keep her mouth shut.

When Kuroko knocked on the door, a rather short and nervous looking boy came to greet them.

"Hello? Who are you and can I help you?"

"My name is Aida Sora and this is Kuroko Tetsuya, I'm looking for Momoi Satsuki."

The boy's eyes followed Sora's hands to Kuroko who he did not see standing there which caused him to flinch and grip the door a bit harder.

"O-o-oh, are you friends? I don't know if you're allowed to come in-"

The small boy was interrupted by a loud voice that caused him to jump and look behind him,

"Oi Sakurai! Who's at the door?"

"Eek! Sorry! It's a girl and a boy. They're looking for Momoi-san. I'm sorry! I should have invited them in. I'm sorry, so sorry…"

Sora wanted to shake the boy and tell him to stop apologising but that would probably cause him to apologise even more and it would be seen as unprovoked assault.

"Momoi-san! Someone's looking for you."

Sora heard the furious clopping of heeled shoes before the pinkette burst from the manor and enveloped Sora in a bear hug that threatened to crush her ribs.

"WAHHH! It's Sora-Chan! I didn't expect to see you. OHHH! It's Tetsu-kun as well! Come in!"

So, Sora and Kuroko walked into the manor where they were taken to Momoi's room to chat. Some tea was served by the maids that Sora noticed where flittering around the manor like bees.

"So! What brings you here Sora-Chan, Tetsu-kun?"

Sora took a sip of her tea and almost melted at the beautiful sweet taste.

"I came to accept your invitation. By sister, Riko, won't be able to come tomorrow so it will be just you and I. Is that alright with you Momoi-san?"

"YAAAAYYY! I'm so glad! I don't have any girl friends because I'm the manager of Touo and I'm constantly around boys. Also, I want you to call me Satsuki. Come on…say it!"

"Satsuki-san."

Momoi laughed and glomped Sora who looked over to Kuroko with pleading eyes but he just smiled faintly.

"In all seriousness Momoi-san, please remember what I told you the last time regarding Sora-san and be careful."

Momoi's expression became serious and she nodded as she drew a cross over her heart with her finger. When Kuroko and Sora left, Momoi watched as they vanished into the setting sun, their elongated shadows flickered on the ground. Even though Sora didn't remember anything about her, Momoi was glad that Sora was beginning to warm up to her. Though she was still sad that one of her closest friends had forgotten her. With hope in her heart, she closed the door behind her and prayed that tomorrow would be a good day.

 **End of chapter**

 **I'm sorry that this chapter was a bit shorter. I wanted to end it here. I hope you enjoyed it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – Hectic**

 **Aha…aha…hello. I promised that I would update as often as possible but eh…honestly, I've become very lazy and totally forgot all about writing. So here is the chapter I promised.**

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM KNB.**

"GOOD MORNING SORA-CHAN! RISE AND SHINE!"

Sora jumped up in shock as the blinds were suddenly pulled open with a shriek and the blinding sun rays filled the room. To her surprise and Riko's chagrin, the flouncy pinkette had somehow managed to invade their room and disturb their sleep. Riko growled ferociously and pulled the covers over her head. Sora rubbed her tired eyes and stared up at the pinkette who was now trying to pull Sora off the bed.

"Momoi-san? What are you doing here? More importantly, how did you get in here?"

"I asked the inn keeper. Hey! I thought you promised to call be Satsuki...Anyway, we need to head off early otherwise all the nice clothes will be gone."

Before Sora could get her bearings, she was torn away from her bed. Momoi began going through the closet and brushing through Sora's minimal clothes.

"No, no, no. This will not do. Sora-Chan, what kind of clothes are these? You need to take pride as a woman and wear better clothing. Everything you have here suggests that you are going to war or something. You and I have some serious shopping to do."

"It's comfortable. I'm not exactly here to make a statement about how well I can dress. Besides, who am I trying to impress. Aomine-kun? I don't think so."

Momoi sent her an unimpressed look before finally settling on a pair of tight fitting trousers and a nice crème coloured blouse. She tsked as Sora wore it on, muttering something about making sure she burns them and something else about it being too masculine. Finally after a few minutes of freedom to get ready, Momoi dragged a half asleep Sora onto the streets.

"Finally, you're here."

An equally tired Aomine was slouched beneath the shade of an oak tree.

"Ah! Thanks for waiting Dai-Chan!"

Sora stared as Aomine sauntered over, clearly, not wanting to be here. Regardless of what he did or didn't want, Momoi had managed to rope him into this and he wasn't leaving. Sora did feel a bit sorry for him, after all, Aomine probably had better things to do than be a bag carrier for two girls.

Momoi clutched Sora's arm and raced into a large shop bursting with intricate and elegant dresses. If it was the value on the price tag, then it was the shimmering gold thread and delicate gemstones adorning the dresses which told Sora that never in a million years would she be able to afford anything in this store. As if sensing the tension in Sora's body and the uncertainty in her eyes, Momoi gave Sora a reassuring touch and a soft smile.

"Don't worry about paying. This is my gift to you as a sign of our friendship. This shop is my favourite place to buy dresses. After we get ourselves a dress, we'll head over to this accessory store that sells the most beautiful shoes and jewelry. So go ahead and pick a dress that catches your eye. There's changing rooms at the back of the shop, so when you find something, I'll come with you to try it on."

With a nod, Momoi lead Sora into the shop with Aomine reluctantly trailing behind. A woman wearing tight fitting leather pants and a fancy blouse that was topped off with a huge bow welcomed the pair. She was an exotic looking woman with the most gorgeous almond eyes and short platinum hair that was swept to one side.

"Welcome Momoi-san! It's always a pleasure to see your bright smile here! You've gotten a lot bigger than the last time you were at my store."

Sora wasn't so sure what the woman was implying but when the woman hugged Momoi and grabbed her breast Sora blushed at the rather intimate and open action.

"Mo~ Michi-Chan! You gotta stop fondling your customers breasts."

Sora was taken aback by the friendliness and openness that the two women had and she almost wanted to scurry away and run. Unfortunately, she was pinned down by the strange woman who grabbed her shoulders and stared hard at the confused Sora.

"Satsuki-Chan! Who is this adorable little thing? Your friend? What beautiful blue hair and her skin is so soft and clear."

The woman's nose began to flare and her eyes brightened, gleaming like the eyes of a predator. She began to touch Sora all over from her shoulders to arms to legs. She even smacked Sora's behind gently in a teasing manner.

"Ah, Michi-Chan! Don't tease her, Sora-Chan is not used to this sort of affection. Anyway, Sora-Chan is from Seirin and she needs a dress for the Festival."

Sora stuck her hand out to shake hands but Isobe grabbed her hand and kissed it which solidified the thought that Sora had about Isobe.

"Pleasure to meet you Sora-Chan! My name is Isobe Michiko, you can call me Michiko. Any friend of Satsuki-Chan is a friend of mine. Now let's get to business. The dress must match the person in every possible way. Let's see, you have a slim figure, a moderate chest and a very cute bottom. Your hair will look best up since you have such a cute face so the dress will need to show your shoulders. You have quite broad shoulders for a girl…do you work out?"

Aomine snorted a laugh which earned a glare from all three women.

"Oh, I forgot you were here. You let the ganguro in my store?"

Aomine scowled and glared at the woman who was almost his height.

"Ganguro? You got a problem with me being here you damn perv. You've got some problem going around touching other girls like a horny bastard."

"Horny bastard!? Why you mistaken me. I'm not horny, I just can't resist the cuteness and beauty that girls have and you brutes don't. It's funny that you call me a pervert when you go around reading porno magazines and what not. The only reason why I bother letting you stay is because you're childhood friends with Satsuki-Chan, otherwise, I would have launched you half way across the continent."

There was electricity in the air as it sizzled between the two raging giants.

"Sorry to interrupt but yes, I do work out…is that a problem Isobe-san?"

As if she completely forgot that Aomine was there, she turned to face Sora with a friendly smile that made her flinched internally. _What a mood change._

"Not really, it just means we need a neckline that will amplify your feminine features…or we could work with your strong shoulders for a more powerful look. What do you think Satsuki-Chan? We can either go with Sora-Chan's naturally cute demeanor or go with making her look fierce."

Momoi popped out from behind a rack of black dresses and scanned Sora carefully. Sora was beginning to feel more comfortable around the two.

"Hmm…I think we need Sora-Chan to make a statement. Let's go with fierce. I think Sora-Chan is about to graduate from being a cutie into a fierce queen!"

The two high-fived each other and turned to face Sora with an evil glint in their eyes. They both began to laugh like mad women, their smiles reaching up to their ears, as they pounced on Sora and tossed her into the changing room and began to scan the shop for clothes that might suit her.

Dress after dress and nothing seemed to look right, according to the pair of women that were rushing around the store. It seemed that nothing was standing out despite the dresses being perfectly fine.

"Gah this is harder than I thought. None of these dresses seems to match her. Sora-Chan pulls them off well, but they don't suit her."

"OOHH! I found something!"

Momoi rushed out from behind another rack and handed it over to Isobe who also nodded in agreement.

"Oh, this one I like. Sora-Chan! We have another one for you!"

Her arms were getting sore from pulling on dresses. Nevertheless, Sora tried on the black dress that was handed to her. It had a moderate plunge at the front to show a bit of cleavage. It was soft and silky textured with cut outs on her waist and leg slits on both sides that rode up her legs all the way to her upper thigh. It was also backless which dipped to her waist. Basically, it was a dress that was trying to show off as much skin as possible but also look somewhat conservative. There was a pant type part that would hide her lower regions in case there was a gust of wind that blew the flap at the front up. She looked like one of the elves Sora had read about.

Sora stepped out from behind the drapes that separated her from the rest of the shop, revealing herself to the waiting crew. Isobe was the first to comment while Momoi squealed and fanned herself.

"Woah! That one is a keeper. You look so beautiful in that dress, even though you are somewhat short…but it makes you look so hot. You look like a combat queen!"

Sora was also very surprised at how she looked as well. It clung to her moderate sized chest and her round and firm bottom. The dress showed off her toned and strong legs and, like Isobe had said, made her look like a warrior princess.

"WOW! Sora-Chan! You look amazing! Doesn't she Dai-Chan?"

Aomine was frozen. His eyes were wide with disbelief and his breath was caught. For once in his life, he didn't have a quick retort or anything to say. After awkward moments of silence as Aomine continued to just stare, his voice finally returned.

"Woah."

Momoi huffed and placed her hands on her hips in mock anger,

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Shut up Satsuki! I'm waiting outside. Hurry up and buy that dress already. I'm starving."

With that Aomine wondered outside, leaving the trio flabbergasted. He waited underneath a tree with a hand over his mouth and a flash of pink appeared on his cheeks. He always saw her as a close friend and someone who had such an innocent and soft appearance but in that moment, she became a goddess. A warrior princess that could kill with a single glance.

"Dai-Chan! Let's go get something to eat!"

He looked up to see Momoi with a bag clutched in her hands while Sora had two bags. He grabbed the bags and walked behind the girls as Momoi giggled and said something to Sora which caused her to look back with amusement. He sneered knowing that Momoi was probably talking about his behaviour.

The trio settled down by a side store selling a special spicy burger that was pretty famous in the area. Aomine ordered 30 burgers while Momoi and Sora settled for one each, but Sora bought a glass of fresh coconut juice. Momoi told tales of her childhood, how she met Aomine and Kuroko and the rest of the GOM. Many times, Momoi would stumble or rush over parts when she accidently mentioned that Tamiko person but Sora noticed. Ever since the first time she met Momoi and Aomine, she had become skeptical about this Tamiko person. Whenever she was mentioned, Kuroko, Momoi and Aomine would become tense and Sora figured that perhaps this Tamiko person was extremely important to them.

Finally, after another 3 hours of hopping around from shop to shop looking for the perfect shoes and matching jewelry, Momoi led Sora back to the inn.

"Thank you for a great time Satsuki-san. I greatly appreciate you allowing me to come with you shopping. I enjoyed today."

"Awww! You're welcome Sora-Chan! I should actually be the one thanking you. If you didn't come with me, it would have been so boring because I would have gone with just boring Dai-Chan!"

Aomine growled at Momoi who stuck her tongue out in retaliation.

"I'll see you at the Summer Festival then."

"Hmm! I'll see you there! Bye Bye!"

Sora waited until Momoi and Aomine had disappeared from view before she entered the inn and headed up to her room. It wasn't much of a surprise when she didn't see Riko or any of her friends in their rooms since they have been tirelessly training and preparing for the Trials. It felt very strange and awkward that while she was running around Rakuzan having fun, her team was desperately training and pushing themselves.

The shouting and arguing that resonated up the staircase notified her that her teamed had returned, after all, Kagami was the loudest.

"Welcome back. How was training?"

"Ah! Sora-Chan! It went well until some idiot decided to pick a fight with someone!"

The whole gang turned and glared at Kagami who had a large pulsating bump on his head and his cheek was swollen.

"Of course he did."

Kagami growled and huffed before storming into his room like a salty child who had just been told off by his parents.

"Who did he pick a fight with?"

"Kise Ryota from Kaijo."

Sora sighed. Of course he picked a fight with one of the GOM. It was concerning that Sora wasn't surprised.

"You guys look tired, go shower and tell me the rest later. I'll punish him for his impulsiveness."

The gang instantly headed to their designated rooms. Sora followed Riko back to theirs and showed her the dress that she had picked out for her sister and her own. Unlike Sora's dress, Riko's was definitely more conservative and was a simple but elegant gown that was lime green in colour. The sleeves rested on Riko's shoulders and showed off her elegant shoulders and her collarbones. The dress came in at her waist and fabric flowed down in waves of tulle. Golden Hyacinths were embroidered onto the top of the dress while vines and leaves cascaded down the tulle. To match her dress, Sora had bought simple emerald shoes with small heels and matching earrings and a necklace with golden leaf pendants.

"It's amazing! This must have cost a fortune! Where'd you get the money from?"

"I used my own to buy your dress but Satsuki-san insisted that she buy my dress and both of our shoes and jewelry."

Riko didn't seem too happy but she let it slide. After dinner and a bath, Sora knocks on Kuroko's door and to her joy, Kagami opens the door.

"Eh! Sora?!"

"You've been causing trouble again Kagami. What have I told you about picking fights with others?"

"It wasn't fighting! The seniors were making a big deal out of it but I swear I didn't pick a fight."

"Kagami-kun, it isn't good to lie."

Kuroko suddenly appears from behind him which caused Kagami to half squeal before turning around to see Sora standing there with a silent but deadly stare.

"Dang it Kuroko! Stop creeping up on people! I'm not lying! Kise approached us first. He was being super friendly with Kuroko and all I wanted was to test him out and see how strong people say he is. So we fought…"

"Kagami-kun, you make it seem so much tamer than what actually happened. Kagami-kun pointed at Kise-kun and declared 'I'll be the one to beat you bastards and make Seirin number one. Fight me Kise!' and then the two began to have a sword fight."

Kagami began to sweat as Sora turned her attention from Kuroko back to Kagami and he could tell she wasn't happy. He had already gotten a beating from Riko and he was sore all over…he didn't need another beating from Sora whose punishments were more sadistic and mentally painful.

"I see. Well then Kagami, I hope that you are satisfied with what you have done because now that satisfaction comes to an end. Kuroko, make sure that Kagami remains upside down in the middle of the room until he manages to recite the rule that I told him before we arrived about picking fights and being disciplined 100 times. If his legs drop or his arms bend, add another 50 times. He will continue to keep going until he finishes."

Kagami gulped as Sora's stare turned dark and all he saw was the bottomless pits of her eyes staring back at his own.

"Have a nice night."

~A few days later~

"Sora! Can you help me zip up my dress?"

"Sure."

"I can't believe that Momoi payed for us again. I didn't want to have my face painted nor my hair done."

 _~Earlier that morning~_

 _Momoi came barging through the door once again. This time she grabbed both Sora and Riko by the arm and literally kidnapped them. She took them both to her estate where she had several personal stylists waiting. Straight away, they got to work. There were two for each girl with one doing hair and the other doing the face paint. Hours later, they were done._

 _Riko's short boyish hair had been completely swept to one side and held there with some special wax and a beautiful reddish pink hyacinth braided into her hair. Her face paint was rather simple with a green eye powder highlighting the brownness of her eyes and a black liner that twisted into an intricate design of swirls on the corner of her eyes. Her lips were painted a soft and pale natural pink._

 _Momoi's pale pink hair was also curled and let loose to tumble down her back while a white lily was tucked behind her ear and pinned there. Momoi went with a cute styled theme. Her eyes were enlarged by the black liner and a glittery pink eye powder was used for her eyes. Her lips were painted a salmon pink colour._

 _Sora's long pale blue hair was curled by a hot curling iron and then pinned up into a bun with some strands left to cascade down her back. Her bangs were slightly curled and a small curled strand framed each side of her face. A bright red carnation was also pinned onto the bun. Sora's make up was designed to make her fierce. A golden eye powder was enhanced by a small dash of black eye powder and the black liner was curled at the end to make her eyes somewhat feline looking. Lastly, a dark crimson paint was used for her lips._

" _These flowers have been picked by me because they symbolize something about you."_

 _She didn't go into further detail._

" _Remember to be careful when putting on your dress. Don't ruin the hair or face paint. I'll see you in…two hours."_

 _Sora sighed. Upon entering the inn, both girls had the attention of all the guys. Most were decent enough to admire in silence while others made distasteful comments. Rushing up the stairs, they arrived at their rooms when they ran into Hyuga and Kiyoshi. Both men were already in their suits and ready to leave but had to wait for the rest of the gang to finish getting ready. The look of shock Hyuga and Kiyoshi had on their faces made Sora giggle slightly as Riko blushed when they began to compliment her. She nudged Riko as Hyuga and Kiyoshi continued to stare at Riko like she was some national treasure. Sora smiled at the cute love that was blooming between the three before getting back to her room to put on the dress._

 _Riko finally came back into the room moments later muttering that this was a bad idea and she didn't like everyone staring but Sora knew that secretly, Riko was glad to have the attention._

The commotion outside was growing louder as both girls heard Hyuga yell at Izuki who must have made another horrible joke before Koganei's laugh rang through the corridor followed by Kiyoshi trying to calm everyone down.

"Man, they're so loud. What a rowdy bunch."

"Riko, they're your rowdy bunch. They may be loud and troublemakers, but they are good men at heart. You should be proud you manage to keep them all in check. Besides, you look absolutely magnificent, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were so rowdy. They aren't used to seeing their demon coach become such a beautiful goddess."

Riko punched Sora in the arm but turned away with a blush on her face.

"Hmpf, you say that, but you look so much prettier than I do."

Sora rolled her eyes at her over-the-top sister while finishing off her look by placing on her garnet encrusted earrings and helping Riko put on her necklace.

"Shall we head out dear sister?"

With a nod, Sora opened the door to be greeted by the Seirin crew. Riko walked out first and everyone gasped.

"Dang Coach! You look great!"

Riko was showered with compliments which caused her to become embarrassed and yell at them all. To mask that blush she began to pretend to fix up someone's tie or their hair, but the crew knew her all too well.

"Where's Sora-san?"

On cue, Sora walked out of the room and was followed by a collection of gasps. She laughed at Riko's reaction to being stared at but she finally understood how it felt as she averted her gaze.

"Let's hurry. We don't want to be late."

The gang chuckled at Sora's attempt to hide her embarrassment and followed her out. The streets were crowded by party goers and the air was filled with the fresh smell of flowers and evening musk. The Festival was held at the Grand Hall which was adorned with festive banners, bouquets, streamers and all sorts of decorations. Waiting near the front was Momoi and Touo.

"Ah! Sora-Chan! Tetsu-kun! Over here!"

Following after Sora, Seirin approached the Touo group.

"You look so fierce Sora-Chan! When Michi-Chan sees you, she will lose it! But most importantly, TETSU-KUN! YOU LOOK SO HANDSOME!"

She leapt on him and proceed to hug the hell out of him.

"Damn it Satsuki! Do you always have to do this to Tetsu?"

Aomine wondered up with a yawn. His short dark blue hair was swept back giving him a sophisticated look that he usually wouldn't have. He wore a black suit with a dark blue shirt and a black tie. He stopped as soon as he saw Sora. His brain stopped functioning for a minute as all he continued to admire Sora's inhumane beauty.

"Y-Yo Sora…Tetsu."

"Hello Aomine-kun."

"Satsuki-san, we must be returning to our team-"

"They'll be fine. Imayoshi-san will make sure he introduces himself and the team to yours. He'll take them in. Besides, I want to spend this lovely evening with you guys. It's been so long since I've gone to a party with eith-Tetsu-kun."

Sora noticed that little stumble again. Before she could question it, there was a loud fanfare which signaled for everyone to make their way into the hall. Momoi grabbed Kuroko and dragged him with her while Aomine and Sora followed behind.

"You look very handsome this evening Aomine-kun."

"Yeah…you look good too."

The hall was also decorated with millions of flower arrangements, banners, balloons and streamers. It was so large with enough space to fit in all of the competitors of the Summer Trials and other special guests. To her disappointment and anger, the poorer citizens of Rakuzan were not invited. Only those who lived in the inner circle of the city were allowed.

Another fanfare echoed through the hall as the lights were directed down onto a man who was standing in the middle of the dance floor.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 200th annual Summer Festival."

The man continued to ramble on about the history and tradition of the Summer Festival, the importance of the royal family and so on. After another half an hour of just non stop talking, the Royal family made their appearance.

"It is my greatest honor to present the Royal Family, his grand highnesses, Emperor Akashi Masaomi and Crown Prince, Akashi Seijuro."

Sora couldn't see the Emperor or Crown Prince past all the people who were much taller than she was but Kuroko seemed rather tense. The Emperor greeted the people and officially started the Festival.

"As tradition, the Crown Prince will choose a lucky girl to begin the first dance so can all the young ladies please step forward."

Momoi grabbed onto Sora and shook her head. Sora looked over to Kuroko who whispered for her to stay here for now.

"Whatever happens, do not let yourself be seen by Akashi-kun. Stay behind Aomine-kun and if he is forced to move, get away from here."

Little did they know Akashi Seijuro had already known where they were standing. He had, from the beginning, suspected Kuroko of doing something to make sure that he would not meet Sora so he had some spies keep an eye on Kuroko as well as watch Sora's movement. She had been spotted with Momoi and Aomine so all he needed to do was find those two to find her.

He began to walk around looking for a suitable dance partner and noticed the familiar dark blue hair that belonged to Aomine and approached. Almost immediately, he noticed that there was some fuss going on over there, most likely Kuroko and Momoi trying to hide the girl but nothing can escape his eyes.

As he walked passed the endless stream of swooning girls and irrelevant clownlike women, he heard the gasp or groaning as they realized he was not going to pick them. He already knew who he was going to pick. Finally arriving in the area that Aomine was, he stopped and his lips curled into a fearsome smile.

"Move aside."

The girls who were standing there looked at him confused but a single glance got them to shift over as his eyes met Momoi's.

"Momoi-san, please move aside as well. You know exactly who I am looking for."

Momoi held back a gulp as the imposing stare that Akashi was giving her almost made her drop to her feet in fear. Even though they were friends, he was too frightening for her.

"Who are you talking about Akashi?"

"Daiki, do not feign ignorance. Move."

"Akashi-kun, we are not feigning ignorance. We honestly do not know who you are talking about."

"This is an order. Move."

This time the trio as well as the people around them felt the power behind his voice, the compulsion that forced people to obey. Almost as if their bodies were taken over, they shifted to the side to reveal a small blunette who was trying to make her escape. His lips curled slightly. Akashi grabbed her wrist and to her shock, Sora was pulled face to face with the feared Akashi Seijuro. She had matured into a woman, but everything was as he had remembered. Her soft blue hair was just as he had remembered it. Her petite frame and gentle face was engraved into his mind. It was definitely her. The one he had lost so long ago.

Sora's eyes wondered over Akashi's face. Her eyes were naturally drawn into his hungry heterochromatic eyes that seemed to pull her in. There was a strange feeling of familiarity in his eyes and an almost sadness and loneliness to them. Akashi kissed her hand and looked hard at her, his eyes scanning and inspecting her. The feeling of triumph rose in his chest. _I've finally found you. I will not let you go ever again._ With a sly grin, he pulled the blunette towards him.

"May I have this dance?"

 **End of chapter**

 **EYEYYEYEYEYE Everyone loves a good cliffhanger right? I'll see you all next chapter! 333**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Disaster**

 **Hello, hello! Thank you for the comments and thank you for reading. It was great to see that people were giving me advice and commenting on things that I could do better #shoutout to Sunshine78. I will try my very best to improve and make this as enjoyable as possible for you all!**

 **Also I greatly apologise for taking forever to update.**

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM KNB**

Sora's legs refused to move. Her lips trembled; unsure of what to say. Before her stood the Crown Prince Akashi Seijuro, who was quite possibly the most feared person on the continent. He seemed too unapproachable on his golden throne in his impenetrable fortress, a distant star in the vast universe and yet, here he was. Never was Sora at such a loss for words. _Should I say yes? Or should I say no? Kuroko and the other two told me to avoid him at all costs but I can't refuse the Crown Prince…especially with all these people looking._

She never took her eyes off him, well, she couldn't. His gaze was like a vacuum that continued to draw her in. Those devastatingly beautiful eyes had a cold sheen that seemed to be void of any emotions. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. His gaze was so aggressive, like the eyes of a predator, waiting to tear into her.

"I'm afraid I can't dance very well, your Highness."

Akashi's eyes lit with amusement. She was pretending to not know him and even refused to dance with him. _This makes the hunt so much more interesting._ He noticed behind her that Kuroko and Aomine were tense. He knew they wanted to grab her and hide her away and pretend like she was never even here. But why? Regardless, he would have her and no one was going to stop him. In this moment, all he needed was to have her within his grasp.

"I will lead you. Come."

His words were not a suggestion, but a command. Those words almost possessed Sora's legs, beckoning them to obey – to take the step, but they would not move as if frozen solid to the shiny reflective floor.

"What's the matter Seijuro?"

Akashi didn't look back to face his father who had addressed him, instead, he chose to stare straight at the girl who refused to dance with him.

"My Lady seems to be shy. Come."

This time there was power in those words and, to her horror, Sora's legs began to move on their own as Akashi held her hand tightly and led her towards the dance floor. Sora turned around to face Kuroko with pleading in her eyes, but he was already too far to help her, regret filled his eyes. Sora's legs trembled with every step as they reached the middle of the dance floor. All eyes were on her and Akashi. _Phew, deep breaths…deep breaths….you can do this Sora…just let him lead and don't step on his feet. You remember the steps._

She almost jolted when Akashi placed a hand on her hip, bringing amusement to the prince as she stared up at his godlike face. As moments went on, Sora couldn't help but ease into him, almost feeling like she belonged right here in this moment. His touch was so cold and rough, it almost felt like he was holding onto her like he was claiming her, his hold on her was suffocating. Sora placed her hand on his shoulder, bringing her even closer so that she could feel his breath against her skin. With a nod, the musicians started to play a soft and gentle waltz. Akashi took the first step and like a child, Sora followed along. Every note shot Sora's body into motion, swaying and gliding effortlessly across the dance floor. Her feet moved on their own as if she knew the song, but she did…She had heard it before. From the sweet and playful melody to the strong and steady beat, Sora remembered this song, her body swaying naturally along to every note. It made her forget that she was dancing with a predator.

Akashi noticed that she was beginning to relax and he knew his plan had worked. He knew this song meant a lot to her because it was her song; the one she always sang while watching the sunset and the one her mother sang to her in childhood. Akashi watched a small smile creep onto Sora's face and a rush of triumph rose in his chest.

As the song reached its climax, other couples began to join. Each pair twirling and weaving their way across the dance floor in an interchanging and colourful pattern. The world became a blur to Sora as she fell under the waltz's spell and lost herself to the bright and joyful music. Just like that, she was pulled out from her memories and the magical haze that surrounded her faded; the world now refocused and she was greeted by Akashi's gaze. The pairs bowed to each other and went their separate ways but Akashi was not ready to let her go.

"Thank you for the dance Your Highness."

"The pleasure was all mine."

Sora turned to leave but Akashi held firmly onto her hand, causing her to turn around in shock. Again, hunger filled his eyes and Sora felt chills run down her spine. She had to get away. It was a mistake agreeing to dance with him. She didn't like the way his eyes pierced through her flesh like a red hot knife on butter. Kuroko was right. She shouldn't ever meet him.

"It would be rude of me to let you go without knowing your name."

 _I need to leave. I can't – I'm drowning in his presence. Someone, help me._

"Oh - I apologise. My… name is-"

Before Akashi could hear her name, an annoying and loud voice called out to him from behind followed by several other voices arguing with each other. In that moment, he wanted to throw a knife at the approaching male.

"AKASHICCHI!"

Sora saw a tall and bright looking blonde come bouncing over with a childish grin on his face. Upon closer inspection, Sora recognized the hair and remembered seeing him in the streets. Following behind him was a giant. He was at least twice the height of Sora and had a bored expression on his face. His long violet hair was tied back with a ribbon and in his hands were pastries and sweets of all kinds.

Beside the giant was a tall green haired man with black spectacles resting against on his nose. He had sharp and intelligent eyes but looked like he didn't want to be here either. The strangest thing about him was that his fingers were all taped up and in his left hand was a pot plant housing a small cactus plant. Sora was very confused and fascinated at why he was carrying around a plant.

"Kise-chin, shut up."

"I agree. Why did you even want to speak to Akashi in the first place?"

"EH? I wanted to see the pretty lady Akashicchi was dancing with. I was surprised that Akashicchi actually went to find her amongst the crowd. Do you think she is someone special? I just want to see her!"

Sora immediately knew, by their colourful hair, that the rest of the GOM were approaching and the others had warned her not to let them see her. She also saw that Akashi was distracted. This was her moment to escape. Without another thought, Sora broke out of Akashi's iron grip, curtsied and raced off before Akashi could even react. Akashi watched as the blunette slipped through his fingers and made her escape through the crowd. Silently cursing, he watched as various groups of women began to whisper and slowly slither towards him, hoping to catch his attention like peacocks flashing their so-called beauty. To him, they were all irrelevant and not worth any of his time.

Sora rushed to the outside of the crowd and rested up against a pillar to catch her breath. The hall was filled with various scents from ladies perfume to the delicious food that were displayed on the extravagant long tables. _I can finally breathe. I'm free._

"Sora?! Why're you here alone? Where's Kuroko?"

Kagami approached her with a concerned look on his face. It was shocking to see Sora look so pale and sick while clutching her throat, like someone had strangled her. Kagami rushed over to see that she was breathing so heavily and her eyes were full of fear.

"Hey! Are you alright?"

To Kagami's surprise, Sora flinched at his touch before leaning into him with a relieved sigh. Kagami didn't know what happened and had no idea how to handle the situation. All he could do was just stand there like a statue and listen to her breathing.

"I-I'm okay. I don't know what came over me. Sorry to bother you Kagami, please ignore what just happened…"

"What? But – Fine… Seriously though, I've never seen you so scared before. Let's go get you a drink, you look like you need one."

Sora offered Kagami a small smile as he helped her to a bunch of seats and went to grab her a drink. Sora watched as music played and people danced and socialized. The buzzing of chatter filled her ears and she watched as people laughed, smiled, dance…

"Here."

Sora's attention snapped towards Kagami who was towering over her. She mouthed 'thanks' as she grabbed the drink and brought it to her lips. It was a sweet and slightly tangy but she could taste the amount of alcohol in it.

"Kagami, are you trying to get me drunk?"

Flustered, Kagami flapped his arms about trying to explain that he thought it tasted good and he knew Sora liked sweet things so he poured it for her, not knowing that it was strong.

"I was joking. Thank you. Why aren't you going to dance or socialize?"

"Meh, not my thing. The food was good though."

"I'm surprised you didn't demolish the whole table. You are quite capable of doing that."

Kagami hmpfed in reply, slightly amused at her comment, and Sora let out a quick laugh before continuing to quietly sip on her drink. Her eyes scanned the crowd for anyone that she recognized but all she saw was bright and extravagant dresses and unfamiliar faces.

"Oh, Kuroko was with you right? You seen where he went?"

"No, he would most likely be with Aomine-kun and Satsuki-san."

Kagami sneered at the mention of Aomine's name and clenches his fists.

"I'm going to beat him and the other GOM members and become number 1."

"It's good to have that confidence and determination, however, don't be over confident. It's going to come around and bite you in the ass. Besides, today is for fun and dancing, so you should relax before the Summer Trials where you can think like that all you want."

Kagami deflated slightly at Sora's words but the look in his eyes knew that he acknowledge what she had said and he knew she was right.

"Ah! Sora-Chan! There you are! I'm so sorry! I should have protected you better! Are you alright? Did he say anything that bothered you? Did he try to attack you?"

Kagami and Sora both looked up to see Momoi rushing over and tackling the girl with a hug. Momoi's eyes were teary and she continued to apologise and wail into Sora's ears. Kagami stared at Aomine who was standing behind Momoi with a somewhat guilty look on his face.

"It's okay Satsuki-san, and no, he didn't say anything other than ask for my name…Although, it seems that he probably already knows what it is, since he approached me directly like he knew me."

Momoi, Kuroko and Aomine gave each other a strange look as if knowing what each other were thinking.

"Did you tell him your name?"

"No, I didn't get to before we were interrupted by the other GOM."

"They didn't see your face did they?"

Sora shook her head and a relieved sigh escaped from Kuroko and Momoi's mouths.

"Thank god…For now, only Akashi-kun knows you're here but that's probably much worse than having the others know…and- and he's knows that Dai-Chan, Tetsu-kun and I tried to hide you from him! WAHHHHH! THIS IS A DISASTER!"

Momoi's wailing began to draw attention from other people so Aomine placed a hand over her mouth and pulled her away from Sora. She began to flap about in his arms and glare at him but he didn't take notice to her.

"Shut it Satsuki, you're going to draw attention…Look, Akashi knows now but we'll keep trying to keep him away from you. You saw it when you were dancing with him didn't you?"

Sora knew exactly what Aomine meant. Akashi was dangerous.

"Yes, I still don't know what is going on, but for now, I will put my trust in you and Kuroko."

"I think it is about time we told you the truth. Since Akashi-kun already knows about you, it will be unsafe to keep you in the dark. I will explain everything to you later. It seems the other members haven't realized that you are here yet. He also won't tell them so for now, its best to stay away from them."

Kagami placed a hand on Sora's shoulder in a protective manner and glared daggers at the tanned male.

"I don't know what kind of relationship Sora has with the Prince or whatever, but you better take responsibility. You better not make her cry again."

Aomine glanced over to Sora who was quietly sipping on her beverage and noticed that her eyes were slightly puffy and red. _Whatever happened between that bastard Akashi and Tami must have scared her._

"Yeah, yeah…You should do a better job at looking out for her too, you scrub."

Kagami jumped up and growled in retaliation before Sora sent Kagami a quick look which got him to calm down.

"Anyway, it will be extremely difficult to keep hiding me from the GOM if I remain here. I should head back to the inn…If you see Riko and the others, tell them I felt a bit sick and headed back first."

Before the others could stop her, Sora cautiously walked towards the exit, leaving the group behind her.

Hours later, she heard the loud chatter and laughter of her team coming through the corridor. Sora had already taken off her beautiful dress and washed off all the face paint, leaving her skin refreshed and clean.

"Sora? Are you still awake?"

"Hm. Did you enjoy yourself?"

Riko nodded but carried a concerned look on her face, her brows furrowed into a frown.

"What about you? Kuroko told me that you felt sick and headed back first. Are you alright?"

"Yeah…I was beginning to get dizzy and had a headache. Other than that, I quite enjoyed myself."

A sly smirk grew on Riko's face as she nudged the blunette, her right brow raised in a teasing manner.

"I bet you did – after all, you danced with the Crown Prince."

Riko was expecting Sora to blush as she would when Riko teased her about boys but she was shocked to see that the blush didn't come but a serious and pained look did. Quickly, Sora changed her expression back into a passive one but Riko had seen enough.

"Was it that bad?"

Sora shook her head gently and the conversation ended there. The blunette helped her sister unzip the dress and remove all the pins in Riko's hair. After that, Riko went to the bathroom to rinse her face while Sora laid on the bed and shivered. She could still feel his touch on her arm. It was cold and chilling, like icy spikes jabbing her skin. But the look in his eyes terrified her the most. Jumping up, Sora headed out to the small balcony for fresh air to clear her mind. The breeze was warm yet comforting as Sora glanced up to the stars and wondered what her life would come to. She wondered if she would ever gain her memories back, the only evidence of her stolen identity, or would she forever live in the dark; never knowing who she truly was.

At this stage, she knew that the GOM, Kuroko and Momoi were the only ones with the keys to her memories. Despite her heart's wish to retrieve those keys, her instincts told her to keep away. Maybe it was a sign to tell her that rather than trying to find her stolen identity, she should develop a new one. Her eyes began to droop and Sora knew that she should head back inside before she slept on the balcony. She began heading back in but not without glancing once more at the castle.

~At the Castle~

"Daiki, Momoi-san…how did you enjoy the festivities?"

Both flinched under the glare of the crimson haired demon. As soon as the party ended, they were called into his office to "speak". Momoi gulped as Aomine grew courage and looked back up at the Crown Prince.

"It was okay…food was good."

"Y-Yes…I agree. T-The music was nice t-too…"

A quiet hum came from the Crown Prince as he got up from his desk and headed towards the pair. Despite being physically shorter than Aomine, he had a bigger presence. Momoi couldn't help but let out a small whimper as he stood before them, his piercing gaze upon mainly Aomine.

"That's good to hear. Before I dismiss you..."

Akashi continued to look directly at Aomine and Momoi, shoving his power and authority onto them. It was a display of power and the duo tried their best to not falter under the immense pressure of Akashi's gaze. Both knew what he was going to ask. He was going to ask why they had kept Sora a secret from him and how long they had encountered her.

"I want you both to explain why you have been keeping Tamiko a secret from me. Do not think you can hide her from me and not face the consequences. So do enlighten me."

And there it was.

"Y-You are mistaken Akashi-kun, that girl may look like Tami-Chan, but she isn't. She's just someone who coincidently looks like Tami-Chan."

Akashi's expression didn't change. He was not in the mood for their bullshit. Before anyone could react, he whipped out a small knife and placed it against Momoi's throat, gently pressing it against the soft skin causing Momoi to whimper in utter and complete fear.

"Oi Akashi you bastard! What the hell-"

"You will answer me truthfully Momoi-san or Daiki and I may consider letting you leave alive."

Aomine let out a low growl as he clenched his fists and looked over to Momoi whose eyes were brimming with tears that threatened to roll onto her porcelain cheeks. Despite her situation, her eyes told him to lie, to protect Sora at all cost but Aomine knew that if something happened to Momoi or anyone he cared about because he couldn't do anything, he would never forgive himself…like how he couldn't forgive himself when Tamiko went missing. Reluctantly, he opened his mouth to answer the demon prince.

"The girl we were protecting wasn't Tami…just a girl who looks like her. That's what I thought too until Tetsu explained that this girl was adopted by a family in Seirin at the age of 3 when her village was burned down during an attack. One of the soldiers pitied the girl and took her. She just happens to live in Seirin."

Not once did Aomine's voice falter, he tried to make his story seem legitimate by keep his usual expression mixed with a bit of anger. He tried to make it seem like he was telling the truth and to fool Akashi's sharp perception and Emperor Eye. Akashi didn't look convinced at all and Momoi bit the inside of her lip, waiting for Akashi to strike her but instead, he threw it at Aomine's head. Aomine quickly dodged the missile like blade as it planted itself in the wall behind him. A deep gash formed on Aomine's face as blood began to dribble down his tanned skin.

"Daiki, I am not a fool. I am extremely tempted to gut you on the spot."

Seeing that the situation was going to get a whole lot worse, Momoi regained her senses and blurted out the truth. She did want her best friend to be gutted but she wasn't going to blurt out the whole truth.

"That girl's name is Sora. Aida Sora. We don't know if she is Tami-Chan or not but we didn't want you to know because we didn't want you to freak out about it and lose focus. With all the evidence we have, it points out that she isn't Tami-Chan because it doesn't match up."

Akashi didn't take his eyes off Aomine and a wide yet malicious grin grew across his face. Aomine growled at Momoi in anger but the concern and tears streaming down her face stopped the profanities he was going to fire at her.

"It will difficult to explain why I killed you to the others without raising suspicion. For now, I will let you live since I don't want the others to know that Tamiko is here. You are lucky I am feeling merciful. Now, get out."

Aomine wiped his face and sneered before turning to grab Momoi's arm and pull her outside into safety.

Once they had left, Akashi walked over to the window and stared out to the city. So Tamiko really was alive. No matter what Aomine and Momoi said, he knew from her touch, her smell and her eyes that this was Tamiko. There was no need for evidence. It was the time to strike. And if it was necessary, he would kill everyone in Seirin to get her back into his hands where she could never run away again. All he needed now was a perfect plan and to execute it perfectly.

"Soon you will be back where you belong Tamiko."

~Back at the Inn~

A light knocking on the door got Kuroko's attention as a red eyed and wailing Momoi pounced on him and following behind her was Aomine with a small bandage on his cheek. There was no need for words to be exchanged as Kuroko nodded and gently said,

"I'll go get Sora-san."

 **End of chapter**

 **I hope you all enjoyed that! I also apologise for not updating in a long time even though I promised to update regularly and as much as possible. It's just I've been very lazy, stressed and sick. Stressed because of Uni preparations, lazy because it's been so hot to do anything and sick because of hayfever. Once again I apologise. And I wanted to say that I don't know when I'm going to update again but I hope I will be able to do it within the week or fortnight. Love you all!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – Revealing**

 **Hello all…I have finally gotten over my writer's block and decided to use my time more wisely, so here is another chapter.** **Also, after editing some stuff, I realised that the title of my fanfic was wrong and I had mixed it up with my other KNB fanfic. I felt like such a doofus. Sorry for the mix up!**

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM KNB**

The calm yet eerie expression on Kuroko's face sent waves of chills down Sora's spine. Kuroko was usually quiet, but never this quiet. She knew immediately what he was here for and she silently followed him into the room where Aomine, Momoi and Kagami were waiting. Momoi's sobbing was the only break from the awkward silence that filled the room. Upon approaching, Sora noticed the bandage on Aomine's face.

"Did he do this?"

Aomine averted his gaze, as if he was feeling guilty and Momoi's sobbing turned into wailing as she launched herself at Sora and pulled her into a desperate hug.

"I was so scared!"

"That bastard really took it too far. He's crazy but he wouldn't hurt anyone, especially Satsuki but now…"

Aomine stopped when he saw the look in her eyes. They flickered with anger – burning, smothering fury like hellfire. Something he had seen once before. Kuroko handed Momoi a glass of water which she chugged down within seconds, her cries became quiet. Finally, in a small and calm tone, Sora turned to Kuroko.

"Please tell me everything."

Kuroko nodded and then he began.

 _~8 years ago~_

"ARGHHH! DAIKI! HOW DARE YOU!"

"AHH Crap!"

A young tanned male sprinted across the courtyard whilst being chased by a small blue haired girl with a wooden sword.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to knock over your cake! TETSU! SATSUKI?! HELP ME!"

A pale blunette watched calmly in the shade while the pinkette beside him giggled whilst eating a slice of cake.

"You brought this upon yourself Aomine-kun. I'll be in the front row of your funeral."

The tanned male protested at his best friend's rejection which caused him to stumble and fall face first into the dirt. He rolled to the side as a flash of brown hit the ground where his head had been and his eyes wondered up to the figure standing above him.

"Now you die."

Instinct kicked in as Aomine latched onto the girl's hands and flipped her onto her back. She quickly recovered and kicked out at Aomine's shin but he neatly dodged it. The girl continued her relentless attack, throwing blow after blow as the two continued to wrestle in the dirt until a calm yet authoritative voice called out to her.

"Tamiko, that's enough. If you wanted more cake, you could have just asked the maids to get you some. There was no need for violence."

"Daiki needed to be taught a lesson. No one messes with my cake. No one."

"I said I was sorry. It was just a slice of cake!"

Tamiko shot daggers at the tanned male beside her as Akashi lent his hand to help her up.

"Look at you. You've got dirt all over your face, hair and clothes. You need to have better control of yourself."

Tamiko knew there was no arguing with Akashi, especially when he was right. She didn't want to seem like a brat so she took his hand and got up from the ground, thanking him as he picked out a leaf from her hair.

"EH? Okumacchi got into a fight with Aominecchi again? You shouldn't fight with girls Aominecchi! How mean!"

"Shut up Kise! Stop being so nosy, you attention seeker."

"Attent- Rude! Ahomine!"

"Aho?! That's it! Come here so I can beat your ass!"

"So the loud ruckus was just you two idiots fighting."

"Mine-chin and Kise-chin are loud. I can't enjoy my cake~"

Akashi stared at the dirt covered girl who gave him a cheeky grin, but he wasn't having any of it.

"Aomine, Kise, that's enough. If I hear another word from either of you, I'll triple your training."

Kise and Aomine went to protest but a single glance from Akashi was enough to shut them both up. With an annoyed snort, Aomine walked off to clean himself while Kise ran over to Kuroko to sulk.

"As for you…"

His attention was now on Tamiko who looked like she was ready to run away, a small yet eerie smile appeared on Akashi's face.

"The maids will clean you up and I'll meet you in the yard. It's about time you showed me how much you've improved."

That was code for, I'm about to have you kiss the dirt as I beat you senselessly in a spar. Tamiko knew she was doomed and that she had to accept her fate. Surely enough, 2 hours later, Tamiko lay on the grass as Akashi had beaten her 15-5.

"It was much better than two days ago. You only managed to hit me twice."

Tamiko huffed at the gloating red head which caused him to chuckle.

"I know you like using me as an excuse to feel better about yourself. But just you wait Seijuro, I will beat you soon."

"I look forward to when it happens."

The sun had already set behind them, vanishing behind the horizon and Tamiko sat up and gazed up at the sky which had been painted in warm oranges, pinks and reds.

"Its pretty, isn't it Seijuro? I love how the colours melt together. Come sit next to me or are you afraid you'll get your elegant Princey clothes dirty?"

Tamiko mocked which Akashi retaliated by gently pinching her cheek. Tamiko scowled and rubbed her now red cheek with a pout on her lips.

"I didn't know that you wanted me to punish you again so badly. But I agree, the sunset is beautiful. We should head back. It will be time for dinner soon."

"Just a bit longer. I wanna watch the sunset for a bit longer."

Akashi couldn't help but smile as the sun's rays illuminated the girl's grinning face. She may be rough around the edges and far from elegant and ladylike but she was great company. Other than his mother and Momoi, she was the only female that he could ever tolerate and feel so at peace with. Maybe it was due to the fact that she was like a sister to him, no… maybe more or maybe it was because she was the only one who could see what he was really like in the inside and didn't befriend him for other ulterior motives. Regardless of the reason, she was the only one he wanted around.

"Ah Akashi-kun, Okuma-san, you're still out here. It's almost time for dinner."

Kuroko had been watching the two. It was purely by accident. He was sent to find them but when he saw them sitting together, watching the sunset, he couldn't help but stare. The icy exterior that Akashi had built to mask his true self as the Crown Prince was slowly being melted by this girl, Tamiko.

"We will be heading in shortly Kuroko."

"Thanks for coming out to get us Tetsuya!"

Kuroko felt the edges of his lips curl up into a relaxed smile. Tamiko's cheerfulness was contagious and often, whenever she smiled or laughed, you couldn't help but to join in.

At the dinner table, the GOM were all sitting together and enjoying their extravagant meal and enjoying some light banter. It had only been 6 months since the group met each other and yet, despite their contrasting characters, they got along quite well, even though Aomine and Kise often argued over childish matters. While their parents had business, adult business, the children spent their childhood getting to know each other, playing and studying together. It was in their parents' best interest that the children became allies to build connections with other powerful families but also rivals to see who was best. Being the Crown Prince, Akashi was constantly under extreme pressure to be the best, to be fitting of the Crown and often, it would create some darkness in him that he didn't even know was there.

"Hey Seijuro! Earth to Seijuro!"

Akashi blinked as he noticed that all eyes were on him. He had never been this lost in thought before and never in front of an audience.

"Who do you think is the best at combat? Ryota, Daiki or me?"

Midorima's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as the blunette left out his name.

"OI! What about me?"

"EH? You're better at long distance stuff although, your defense is really good…But I meant offense! Who's better at offensive combat?!"

"Keh…Of course it's me! I'm the best…Kise sucks."

"EHH!? What? NO WAY! Aominecchi has more experience but he isn't that strong! I'll be able to beat him."

Aomine and Kise exchanged glares, a spark of lightning sizzled between them as neither would back down. Finally, to settle the matter, Akashi smiled and smugly replied,

"None of you unfortunately. I'll have to say that it would be me. None of you have ever beaten me before."

The room fell silent at Akashi's response. In the corner of the room, Kuroko snickered which sent the room into chaos.

"That's not funny Kurokocchi!"

"SEIJURO! YOU DIDN'T EVEN ANSWER THE QUESTION PROPERLY! I SAID BETWEEN RYOTA, DAIKI AND I!"

"NO SHIT! LOOK AT AKASHI BEING SO SMUG BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEATEN HIM YET! LOOK AT HIS FACE!"

"Actually you said who is the best at combat? Ryota, Daiki or me? Not between Ryota, Daiki and me. So I replied with none of you."

A series of mumbled words came spilling out of Tamiko's mouth as she tried to explain herself but knew that she was wrong and once again, Akashi was right.

"Hm, I've gotten close."

"BULLSHIT, YOU GREEN HAIRED HOROSCOPE MANIAC!"

"DAMN YOU AOMINE!"

Akashi silently watched as the group began to argue and fuss over something so childish and yet, he felt elated at the fact that he was better than them and they had acknowledged it, they had acknowledged that his efforts had not been in vain. Although, he wasn't going to show it.

The dinner was over and the group began to head to their rooms when a sulking Aomine decided that he wasn't ready to call it a night yet.

"I'm not tired! Let's play some more! How about we have a pillow fight to see who the best fighter is?"

"We just ate Aomine-kun."

"You know who's going to win this again. It's always either Aka-chin, Mido-chin or Kuro-chin."

It was true. The countless times they've had pillow fights, it was either Akashi or Midorima who won because Akashi was an insane monster who knew your weaknesses and could always anticipate what you were going to do before you actually did it and Midorima had insane accuracy – he never missed. And Kuroko, well, no one knew where he was until it was too late.

"I think it's a great idea! We'll finally settle who is the best! Come on you guys! It'll be fun! What do you say Seijuro?"

Midorima rolled his eyes at the blunette who's eyes had been lit with a raging fire. Obviously the three childish members would be for this fight.

"I don't see why not. I'll put you three in your places."

So the group organized themselves into a large spare room with two pillows each. Even though Midorima, Murasakibara and Kuroko were somewhat against it in the beginning, they were roped into it and prepared themselves for the fight ahead of them. Momoi sat behind the couch, using it a shield to protect herself against the volley of pillows as she refereed the game. It was a free for all and there was no way to get out unless you forfeit.

"Three! Two! One! START!"

It was pure chaos as Aomine and Kise attacked first, both going for each other. Akashi deflected a swipe from Tamiko while Midorima and Murasakibara went at each other and Kuroko vanished. Momoi laughed as Aomine and Kise unleashed furious attacks on each other, completely immersed in their own world until Kuroko appeared out of nowhere and tripped them both with his two pillows, causing them to crash into the ground.

"What? DAMN IT TETSU!"

"NO WAY! KUROKOCCHI!"

In a fit of anger, Aomine tossed the pillow at Kuroko who neatly dodged it, however, it managed to hit the little cat figurine that was resting on the table. The cat figurine bounced off the couch upon impact and its head broke off. A horrified gasp resonated through the room as Midorima rushed over to tend to his lucky item. Everyone stared as Midorima got up from the couch, pushed his glasses up and shot a heart stopping glare in Aomine's direction.

"Aomine, PREPARE TO DIE!"

The pillow fight continued late into the night until the group was left huffing and panting with fatigue. It wasn't decided who was the best but everyone already knew, although they didn't want to admit it, the best at combat was Akashi.

"That was fun, although, I feel bad for the maids who have to clean up this mess tomorrow."

Akashi glanced around at the mess his friends had made. The chairs and tables, used as shields, were overturned, there were feathers and pillows scattered everywhere and everyone had passed out and fallen asleep on the couch and ground. The maids came in to get them to bed but Akashi dismissed them since everyone was already asleep and didn't seem like they would wake up.

"Indeed. I'm surprised you aren't asleep, after all, you were the most energetic of the bunch."

"I guess the adrenaline is still kicking in. But I really enjoyed being with you all. I wish it never ends. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here with them and…you. You always seem to get me. I know my personality makes me annoying, at times, but you always are so patient and understanding. You can be a demon a majority of the time, but I can deal with that!"

Akashi sat in silence at the girl's words. He felt at complete ease as she rested her head against his shoulder. His arm wrapped around the girl as an instinct to draw her closer to him and it felt so right. She fit perfectly in his arms, like she was meant to be there and he listened as her breathing slowed and she slept.

Kuroko's lips curled slightly as he listened to their conversation. He had been awake the whole time but he didn't want to interrupt so he pretended to sleep. When Akashi finally fell asleep, Kuroko glanced at his friends and his heart filled with hope. Like Tamiko, he also hoped that moments like these never ended.

It was a rather peaceful 3 years until Tamiko, the second youngest of the group, turned 13 years old. She was the only child of the Okuma family, an aristocratic family who had been in service and friendship with the Royal family for centuries. Tamiko's mother, due to a difficult birth, had lost the ability to produce anymore children but for them, Tamiko was the only child they needed. However, being an aristocratic family, Tamiko was destined to marry at a young age, to the son of another powerful family.

It was obvious that something was bothering the young girl as she became less rowdy, less cheerful and bright, anyone could see that. She would always brush it off saying that she was fine or that she didn't get enough sleep, but they knew something wasn't right. Kuroko was the first to approach.

"Okuma-san, I know something is bothering you, would it be too much to ask if you can tell me what's wrong?"

"Okay, promise not to tell anyone. You have to okay?"

The quiet boy simply nodded,

"Earlier in the week, a letter arrived, and it was…an engagement letter. I'm getting engaged Tetsuya. I don't even know this person. It was from someone in a foreign country and I've never met them. I don't want to marry them. I want to stay here. But I can't! I don't get a say in any of this. I hate it…"

The girl began to sob and Kuroko gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder. It was indeed a shock. No one ever thought about marriage and yet the first to get engaged was Tamiko.

Keeping his promise, Kuroko remained silent as the weeks passed, however, things got much worse.

The other members were starting to change too. They were all becoming visibly colder and more distant and the friendly interactions between them were beginning to vanish. The group had begun to awaken their individual skills, mostly Aomine and Murasakibara who were becoming overwhelmingly powerful. Kuroko could only watch as his friends became cold and cruel to others while Tamiko became less energetic and the radiant blazing inferno she once constantly carried around with her was nothing but a flickering flame. She had become less harsh in training and often made mistakes before vanishing for the rest of the day.

Akashi was gone with the Emperor for several days a week and rarely ever saw Tamiko or anyone else. Then one day, there was an argument between Murasakibara and Akashi, one that changed everything. The group, including a concerned Momoi and Tamiko, had gathered for a meeting, except for Aomine who ran off in a fit of anger and Kuroko who went after him. All was well until Murasakibara decided that didn't want to come to meetings anymore or training because he felt that he was strong enough to take anyone on and beat them.

"I don't need this and I don't need to listen to Aka-chin anymore. You don't train with us anymore and I am strong…probably even stronger than you."

"Murasakibara, are you defying me?"

"Hm~ Since I'm stronger, I don't need to listen to Aka-chin so I don't need to come to these meetings or training."

He got up to leave but Akashi stood up, a calm fury appeared on his face.

"Then, shall we settle this Murasakibara? First to 5 points wins. If I win, you will continue to obey my orders and come to meetings and training. However, if you win, you are free to go."

"Okay~"

"No, don't do this Seijuro! Atsushi! This is ridiculous! It isn't a matter of being stronger meaning you don't train, you must train to maintain your abilities and-"

"Heh? I don't need to listen to you either Kuma-chin. Butt out."

"Don't speak to her like that Murasakibara, your business is with me. So let's get to it. I'll put you in your place."

And Momoi, Kise and Midorima watched as the violet haired giant and the crimson haired Prince battle it out in a swordfight. They watched in shock and horror as Murasakibara continued to overwhelm Akashi, overpowering him and bringing the scores to 4-0 in favour of the giant. Tamiko staggered back. This was all because she hadn't done her job and helped out in training. This was all because she was too preoccupied with her own selfish desires and her engagement that she hadn't notice her friends changing. Her heart sank even further.

The air changed. An icy chill began to slither its way through the air, snapping against the bystanders' skin. It was coming from Akashi. The usual calm and warm atmosphere around Akashi was gone, replaced by this cold and unwelcoming tension.

"I, who wins everything, is always right."

Then, as Murasakibara went in for the finishing blow, Akashi managed to deflect the strike and point his sword against the giant's neck, earning him his first point. The stunned Murasakibara stared, noticing the sudden coldness and unfamiliarity in his Captain's eyes.

"Don't get ahead of yourself and make me angry _Atsushi_. I'll kill anyone who opposes me…even my parents."

Then Midorima, Kise, Momoi and Tamiko felt the raw power rush at them and standing before them was an unknown being. He was not the person they had grown up with or respect, he was their hell. The battle came to a quick end, with Akashi destroying Murasakibara. A final jab at his 'heart' and the giant fell to his knees in defeat. He staggered to his feet and in anger, began to storm off.

"Fine, I'll come to training and meetings. I'm going now!"

"Ah regarding that, it's fine if you don't come."

Midorima and Kise stared in shock as Akashi completely contradicted what he previously said to Murasakibara.

"Wait?! What?! Akashi, are you serious!? That's the completely opposite of what you said befo-"

"Same goes for you Kise, Midorima…you don't need to show up to meetings or training anymore, as long as you continue to win. I can see now that working together has no benefit to your growth, so I will no longer be enforcing group training or meetings."

"Seijuro, you can't be serious. You've worked so hard to maintain this work ethic and now you're throwing it away? How could you do that? How can you say that this training is unnecessary?! It isn't just about improving and getting stronger! The point of training is to maintain team trust and-"

The cold stare Akashi gave Tamiko chilled her to the bones. The gentle and warm light in his eyes had vanished and replaced by a soul sucking void that threatened to strangle the life from her.

"Tamiko, you aren't one to talk."

The foreign Akashi began to approach the girl, who stood her ground with a frown plastered on her face.

"Don't think that just because I haven't been around, that I wouldn't know of everything that happens here. I know that you've not been your usual self lately, nor have you been training properly either. The mask you wear to hide whatever is currently distracting you may be convinving to others but not to me. Nevertheless, your sudden engagement shouldn't create such a change in you, I would have thought you were stronger than this. I'm rather disappointed."

Tamiko stumbled back in shock. She knew Kuroko wouldn't tell anyone so how could Akashi find out? The news was confidential and only her parents, herself and Kuroko knew about this. The others looked equally shocked as their jaws dropped and a flustered Kise cried out.

"Wait!? What!? O-Okumacchi is engaged?! Since when!?"

"Why didn't you tell us?! This is BIG news!"

"Look, I don't know how you found that out but it's a big deal okay. And all of you are currently stressed with your new duties and training so I didn't-"

"That's a lie and you know it. Don't be so weak and lie so pathetically. It is unbecoming of you."

Tamiko felt a rush of anger rise up like a flood, she didn't need to tell them anything. She felt so petty and irrational and lashed out.

"You want to know the truth?! FINE! I didn't tell any of you because, I DON'T WANT TO MARRY SOME STRANGER! But I don't even get a say in this. It's all been decided for me and I'm leaving to meet him for the first time next week. My parents won't tell me why I have to marry him… But I don't accept that this is my future."

She glanced up to see Akashi's blank expression which shocked her. And then she stormed off. She was so angry at herself, at how pathetic she was and at how she felt about everything. She heard Kise and Momoi call after her but she ignored it.

A week later, the fated day arrived when Tamiko would leave to see her fiancé. The maids had dressed her in a simple beige gown and transformed her. It was hard to believe that she was 13 and getting engaged to some aristocratic boy from the western continent. The group had come to say their farewells while a stony faced Tamiko approached the carriage. One by one, she hugged everyone, wishing them the best for the future and internally hoped that she would return and find that everything was back to normal.

"Tetsuya, look after them for me. When I come back, I'll set things right."

Then she was gone. In her carriage and out the palace gates.

~ _Back to the present~_

Sora listened as Kuroko finished his story. It seemed too surreal. She couldn't describe how it felt to hear Kuroko tell her about Tamiko, who was supposedly herself. It was also strange because at times in Kuroko's story, Sora's heart hurt like she had felt that way before…as if she remembered.

"So what you're saying is that Tamiko, or supposedly me, was going to meet my fiancé and somehow lost my memory and ended up in Seirin and now, Akashi, who was my childhood friend, is crazy because he thought I died."

Aomine scoffed and rolled his eyes,

"Fucking psychotic more like it. He flipped out. First time I ever saw him like that. None of us wanted to get near him. He kept thinking you were alive and demanding soldiers to go search for you."

"Eventually, Akashi-kun became enraged because the Emperor forbid him to go search for you and ordered him to focus on his duties instead. And that was when the GOM were needed back at their homes, so we all left the palace."

Kuroko watched as Sora went pale and stared at the ground. Kagami had been silent throughout the entire time but there was concern in his eyes and something else. He was hoping that Sora would remember something, or perhaps that his story would awaken her memories but he was crushed when she didn't react as he hoped.

"So, Tami - uh – Sora… or whatever, did anything Tetsu say ring any bells?"

Sora slowly shook her head. Kagami got up and stared at the girl who seemed so confused.

"Look, what if you guys got it all wrong. Sora may look like this Tamiko person but that doesn't mean she is. Sure, Sora appeared in Seirin at the same time that Tamiko vanished but that's just a coincidence and you said so yourself, she has a totally different personality."

"That is true but if Akashi-kun recognized her, then I can't help but feel that Sora-san is Okuma-san."

"Huh? What has Akashi recognizing Sora got to do with anything?"

Aomine sneered at Kagami who glared back in annoyance.

"Nothing escapes that bastard's eyes. He knew Tami more than anyone else did, even if he is a psycho now. He may be crazy but he isn't dumb. Besides, the fact that he knew where she was at the ball and what she looks like means that he probably kept tabs on her, even at Seirin."

It was true. Sora realized that now when Aomine said it. It was a wonder how he knew where she was and what she looked like, even though they've never seen each other before. Sora shuddered.

"Thanks for telling me everything Kuroko, Aomine and Momoi. It's quite a lot to take in. I'm heading to bed."

The group didn't argue as they watched Sora leave the room.

"We still haven't figured out how she lost her memories or vanished even. Whatever, anyway, I'll leave it to you, Tetsu, and the scrub to look after her. Let's go Satsuki, I wanna sleep already."

"Okay Dai-Chan. I'll see around Tetsu-kun~"

And then the two were gone. Kuroko glanced over to Kagami who was lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. It seemed that Kagami was also disturbed about the news since, Kuroko noticed that he had a soft spot for the girl. Silently, Kuroko climbed into his bed and dreamt of the past.

In her room, Sora stood on her balcony, staring up into the twilight sky. It was strange but after hearing Kuroko's story, her mind raced. _How did this happen? Who was responsible? Is it real? Am I Tamiko? Why can't I remember anything?_ She knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight with the numerous questions racing around her brain, so she grabbed her blanket and watched the stars twinkle, calling out to her and letting them take her away from reality.

 **End of chapter**

 **I have a feeling that this chapter will be odd to most people because it's Kuroko's retelling of the past so he wouldn't be able to tell how the characters were feeling or their inner thoughts but not writing those things would make it so dull…so I added them in even though it doesn't make sense. I'm sorry if you guys hate it but like…**

 **Also I just wanted to say that Kuroko's story telling part is based on what he experience/saw so anything that happened between other people isn't mentioned, except for the scene where Akashi 'awakens' his other self which Momoi is present so she recounts it. So sorry for the confusion. I hope you enjoyed it though.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 – Summer Trials begin**

 **I DO NOT OWN KNB NOR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS, JUST MY OC.**

"Sora? Are you awake?"

Sora slowly opened her eyes as she was greeted by the rising sun and Riko's concerned face. Sora groaned, realizing that she had fallen asleep outside and her neck was very sore.

"Um…yeah. I can't believe I fell asleep."

"You looked tired last night."

"Yeah, I guess I was.

Sora hadn't forgotten about what had been discussed the night before. it sent chills down her spine, knowing that somewhere, locked in her mind, was another her – another personality of sorts who had refused to show herself.

Sora suddenly felt nauseous and gripped the railing until both her hands went paper white. She didn't want to believe it but denying it wouldn't do her any good. It had been better if she hadn't known at all. She began to even think that it would have been better if she had stayed at Seirin and never went to Rakuzan but eventually, fate, in the form of a psychotic crimson haired prince, would catch up to her and she was bound to find out anyway.

Riko saw the sudden change in her sister's face and grabbed her a cup of water. Sora accepted it with a small smile and gently sipped on it. The rising sun warmed Sora's cheeks and hands which were still trembling as they held the cup.

"If you aren't feeling well, you can stay here and not go to the arena for practice."

"I'll be okay Riko. Let's go get ready."

Then Sora got up and stumbled back into the room. She brushed her teeth, washed her face and got changed into her typical training gear. Even though she was the manager, she planned to vent out her concern and worries into a dummy – to dump that weight off her shoulders.

Riko was waiting for her and gave her arm a tight squeeze before closing the inn room door behind them. The two quietly walked in the warm and lively street towards the arena which was already filling up with competitors. It seemed that the boys had gone there earlier in the morning and Riko had stayed behind to look after Sora.

"Ah good morning Coach, Sora-chan!"

"Morning Riko, Sora-san."

Sora turned around to see Hyuga and Izuki approach them, sweat was dripping down their faces but they didn't seem tired.

"Ah morning Hyuga, Izuki. Are you taking a break?"

"Yeah, we finished warming up and were waiting for you."

"Sorry for keeping Riko from you and getting here a bit late."

Sora bowed in apology but Hyuga karate chopped her head gently in a teasing manner.

"Idiot, there's no need apologise. You can atone for this by helping us win."

Sora's lip quivered slightly but stopped as she followed Riko, Hyuga and Izuki into one of the many training areas. There she saw Kagami and the other members practicing with each other or the dummies available. When they noticed Riko and Sora, they greeted them and gathered for Riko's instructions. After giving their individual tasks, the group dispersed and continued their training as Sora and Riko watched, taking note of everything and making sure to scold the members who were slacking off. However, Sora was very tense. She didn't want to meet Akashi again.

"Sora? Sora?!"

Sora snapped out of her thoughts as Riko frowned at her sister who had blanked out again. She pressed a hand against Sora's forehead and sighed with relief.

"It doesn't seem like you have a fever or anything. Maybe you should go back."

Sora placed a not so reassuring hand on Riko's arm and gently smiled, hiding her concern behind a mask.

"I'm fine really. I'll go get a drink. Do you want anything?"

"No thank you, you sure you're going to be okay?"

Sora nodded and walked out of the area. She knew it was probably a bad idea to walk off on her own but she didn't want to worry her sister or her friends. She remembered seeing a cafeteria nearby and hoped that she wouldn't run into any of the colourful haired group. As she entered, it was crowded with many competitors but she didn't see any of the GOM. _Thank god. I just grab a drink and go._

Ignoring the disgusting and unnecessary catcalls and whistling, Sora moved to the front of the cafeteria and asked for a flask of water. As she grabbed the flask, a pair of very large hands lifted her up into the air and Sora couldn't help but let out a squeak.

"Eh~ I thought it was Kuro-chin because of the hair but it's a girl."

She turned her head to face the person and was greeted by cold violet eyes and long violet hair. _Ah crap._

"Eh? Tami-chin?"

 _Double crap._

Instead of holding her up into the air, he crushed her in a warm hug.

"It really is you."

Sora couldn't breathe as he continued to constrict her with his strong muscular arms.

"Atsushi, there you are!"

"Ah, Muro-chin! I found Tami-chin!"

The giant turned around, still clutching the girl to his chest.

"Ah! Atsushi, you can't do that to a girl. Please put her down!"

"Eh? Oh, oops."

Finally Murasakibara put her down and Sora took in a deep breath, glaring at the giant.

"I'm so sorry miss, I hope my friend didn't hurt you?"

Sora turned around and faced the owner of the kind voice. The owner was very handsome, his dark hair covered one eye, revealing the other which was very soft and gentle. Underneath was a small mole which added charm. He wore a bright but soft smile.

"No, he didn't. Thank you. I have to get going now."

Sora went to rush off when Murasakibara grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Hey~ Where are you going Tami-chin? Don't you remember me?"

"I'm sorry but you have the wrong person. I am not this Tami-chin."

Then Sora slid her hand free and bolted like a mad man, forgetting her flask behind. Unfortunately, she underestimated the length of the giant's arm as he grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back with so much force that she stumbled back onto her behind.

"Atsushi! Apologise! You shouldn't hurt girls."

"Eh? But she ran away. Besides, I know Tami-chin, we were friends a long time ago."

As if the male ignored what his violet friend had just said, Himuro introduced himself to the girl. He had met plenty of beautiful girls since they flocked to him, but she was strange. He wouldn't say she was extremely beautiful or pretty, but she was attractive, like an exotic flower.

"Ah, I should introduce myself, my name is Himuro Tatsuya. I'm from Yosen. It's very nice to meet you."

Himuro stuck out his hand and Sora grabbed it gently, shaking it as she introduced herself, very aware of the towering boy behind her.

"I'm Aida Sora, from Seirin."

"That's a beautiful name for a beautiful lady. Sora means sky doesn't it?"

"Yes. I should get going. My team is waiting for me."

"Oh of course. It was a pleasure, Aida-san."

He gently placed a kiss on Sora's hand before allowing her passed much to Murasakibara's chagrin as he watched the girl hurry away. _What? Aida Sora? That's Tami-chin though. I wonder if Aka-chin knows about this._

"Atsushi, you said you knew that girl right?"

"Hm…Yeah. She said her name was Aida Sora but she looks like someone I knew from a long time ago. Someone who was meant to be dead."

"Dead? That's a horrible thing to say."

"But it's true. Tami-chin died a long time ago and that girl looked exactly like Tami-chin. I recognized her hair and eyes."

"Should we get going then?"

"Yeah, okay~"

Then the two left the cafeteria without another thought.

Sora's heart was pounding as she hurried back to the training room, flaskless. Needless to say, she was awake now.

"Kuroko, how long do you plan to follow me around?"

"I was afraid you might run into Akashi-kun."

Sora turned and her lips curled in a friendly smile as the fellow blunette crept up beside her from the bustling crowd of competitors.

"You didn't answer my question."

Kuroko simply smiled in reply as the walk back was quiet but comfortable.

"I'm guessing that violet giant was a friend of yours?"

"Ah, yes. That was Murasakibara-kun. He seems rather intimidating at first but he is…"

Sora could tell that Kuroko struggled to say the word 'nice' because none of the GOM were nice, bearable maybe, but not nice – well, not anymore anyway.

"Hm, I have got to say though but your colourful friends are an interesting bunch. I've only met Momoi-san, Aomine, Akashi and now Murasakibara but I can tell they are a weird group of people. But then again, you are rather weird yourself."

Sora said teasingly to the male but he didn't smile and she felt like perhaps she went too far. It was a relief when Kuroko let out a small laugh and turned to face her.

"Weird?"

"Well, weirder than our own group."

Kuroko nodded cautiously as if agreeing with the girl but curious about her comment as they arrived at the training arena. The group was still busily training, not noticing the pair walk in. Riko was barking out orders while the fatigue males tried their best to not show their tiredness, tentatively listening to the small brunette. Sora looked over to see Kagami wildly huffing and puffing while gulping down the contents of his flask. Everyone worked very hard but Kagami strived to beat the GOM whether he had to do it with the team or alone. Sora noticed Kuroko give her another strange look before weaving his way through to train with the others.

"As you know, our first match is tomorrow against Shinkyo Academy. They have a foreign player from another continent. His name is Papa Mbaye Siki. He is 200cm tall and not only is he tall but he has very long limbs. Therefore, we will use speed to get passed him. We will use our speed to overwhelm them. Let's break for lunch."

The crew disbanded, heading towards the showers to get cleaned up as Riko approached the benches and smiled, approaching her sister who had been sitting and observing quietly.

"Let's head out for lunch. I wonder if there are any places with cheap food… Everything here is so expensive."

"The cafeteria food is free but I doubt there would be any food or seats left. It's utter chaos in there. You would think that for a highly organized and proper place, they would issue some order in the cafeteria."

"Hm, but free food. Let's go check it out anyway. We'll meet the boys there. Can you go tell them while I clean up?"

"Sure."

Sora walked over to the locker room and knocked on it. The cheerful 'come in' signaled for Sora to open the door.

"Riko and I will be in the cafeteria. We'll save you guys seats in there."

The group nodded collectively as they began to hurry up and Sora closed the door. She didn't miss Kuroko's concerned look and she saw the words in his eyes, _be careful._ Sora led Riko to the cafeteria which had started to fill up as teams moved in for lunch. Sora, with her keen eyes, spotted a table which was being vacated and without hesitation, rushed through the people and sat down on the bench, claiming it. She spotted a group of boys walk up and sneer.

"Hey little girly. That's our spot. Move."

"I don't see your name or a reserved sign on it. Besides, I got here first. Too bad."

The captain of the team rolled his eyes at the girl and slammed a hand on the table, hoping to startle the girl but she continued to stare with fire in her eyes.

"Non-competitors aren't allowed in here. Though, I could make an exception for a cutie like you."

"Ex-competitors aren't allowed in here. I recognized your team name on the match schedule. You guys just lost and are now out of the trials."

The group members flinched and then snarled at the girl, almost begging their captain to do something to shut her up. Sora rested her head against the palm of her hand and sent them a 'tough luck' look. It seemed cruel to kick someone who was already down.

"Sora! Did you find a table!?"

"Yep, over here Riko!"

Riko came over to see that her sister was coolly sitting on the bench and with a passive expression on her face while staring at a group of competitors who were glaring down at her, looking like they were about to launch themselves across the table and strangle her.

"What's going on?"

"Heh? Another one? Your friend here stole our table. We want it back."

Riko sent Sora a look but the girl kept her eyes on the unfamiliar group of raging guys. Her facial expression didn't change and Riko shuddered. It was a mystery as to how Sora could bottle up her emotions and keep her face completely blank no matter the situation, only taking off the mask when she was alone, with Riko or the team.

"They didn't ask. I don't like it when people demand things from others, as if they own the place."

Riko finally caught on to the situation and placed her hands on her hips. She stared at the group of boys and pointed at them, ensuring that they understood what was going to happen if they continued to be assholes.

"Look, our team is going to get here soon and my sister got here first. You're going to have to find another spot."

"Both of you are stupid as hell. Do you think you two girls could stop us from taking this table? We could swat you away like flies."

Sora didn't move from her spot, a yawn escaped her mouth.

"Then why haven't you done so yet? Why haven't you kicked me off your table or swatted us away like flies? Surely, if you're so daring and strong you could have done that from the beginning, or is this simply a bluff?"

Riko glared at her sister, telling her to stop stirring up the pot but Sora ignored her and continued.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but your opponents must have been terribly powerful for you to have lost 0-4. It must have been very disappointing."

This seemed to send them over the line as the captain reached forward to grab Sora but she gently leaned back and avoided his fingers. He leapt across the table, using the seat as a launch pad as he tried to tackle the girl but Sora scooted over to the side, causing the male to crash head first into the ground. Some of his teammates rushed over to help their captain while others tried to grab the girl and Riko.

"You BIT-"

"Hey, mind your profanity. Nothing is more distasteful than someone resorting to swearing because they lose."

People were starting to gather and watch as a group of around 10 guys tried to grab two girls who dodged and avoided capture. Eventually, they were caught, two guys grabbing an arm each to prevent the girls from moving and the captain smirked, his rage filled eyes gleamed.

"I'm going to enjoy teaching you a lesson."

He went to throw a punch at Sora, hoping that she would flinch or close her eyes to await the punch but she just kept staring – staring straight into his eyes and possibly his soul. Riko yelled out as she saw the fist swing towards her sister and she struggled against her captives when a hand grabbed the captain's shirt collar and yanked him back with enough force to send him tumbling backwards.

"You're late Kagami."

The red head glared down at the calm girl. Hyuga had ripped the other guys off of Riko and protectively stood in front of her, a terrifying glare on his face was directed to the guys on the floor. Behind him was an equally furious Seirin who moved around to confront their opponents.

"Bastards! How low are you? You would actually hit girls?!"

The captain brushed himself off and laughed mockingly. His teammates followed suit like a bunch of ducklings.

"Heh? You must be the teammates. You don't look familiar. AH, you're that new team. Those losers Seirin or whatever. And hit girls? They deserved. That one. The blue haired bitch dared to insult us and take our spot. She was getting what she deserved. Women are only good for one thing. Serving us men."

Sora got up.

"Clench your teeth."

The guy didn't have time to respond as Sora threw a punch so hard that she heard and felt his nose crack. Blood spewed everywhere as he fell back, clutching his nose and shouting in pain, whimpering.

"First of all, I found this seat first, you just happened to think that you owned it. Secondly, don't look down on my teammates who could easily beat you and thirdly, insult a woman again and you will lose those balls of yours."

He pointed up at Sora, tears in his eyes.

"You will pay for this. Don't you know that if a competitor attacks another person outside of the arena, you will be disqualified?! Hah! You've disqualified your whole team! Serves you right!"

"Bastard!"

Kagami lunged forwards but Sora stopped him. She knelt down in front of the man who attacked her and said,

"Then thankfully, I'm not a competitor."

And then punched him again, knocking him out cold. The other team members grabbed their captain and rushed out, swearing that they would make Seirin pay or whatever but Sora didn't care. The bystanders disbanded as the fight was over and returned to whatever they were doing before. Hyuga grabbed Sora's head and smiled at the girl, a vein pulsing on the side of his forehead.

"Sora-san. Don't go starting fights with other people."

"Sorry."

"CAN YOU ACTUALLY SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT?!"

"sorry."

The group managed to calm down Hyuga as they took him to the cafeteria line. Kagami had already gone and now come back with a very large bowl of noodles that was filled to the brim and a small tray that had several kinds of savory pastries.

"I thought you went to get food."

"I'm not hungry."

"Don't skip out on meals. Here take the pastries."

Kagami pushed the tray over to Sora who stared at him as he tore straight into the noodles. Sora would have grinned if she hadn't remembered to keep her mask on. She thanked Kagami and bit into the first pastry she picked up. It was incredibly crunchy on the outside but soft and still hot on the inside. A hot and spicy filling spilled out and she recognized it to be a curry bread. Carefully, she continued to much on it and savor the taste. Riko and the others returned with their own plates.

"Eh? You went to get food? I thought you were still sitting here so I brought you a tray."

Riko placed down two trays onto the table. The one intended for Sora had a bowl of rice and side dishes.

"Thanks Riko. I'll take it."

Riko slid it over and watched as Sora finished her curry bread and then moved onto the rice. She handed Kagami back the rest of the pastries, knowing that the bowl of noodles wasn't enough for his insanely huge appetite. Kuroko had sat next to her with only a small sandwich filled with sufficient protein and vegetables.

"Are you sure that's enough Kuroko? You should eat more you know."

"No, this is enough for me. Thank you though Sora-san."

"Hm…"

Sora shrugged and continued to eat her rice. The group spent the next hour and a half eating and talking about their plans for their match the next day. After Kagami had downed his 4th bowl of noodles and finished his pastries, the cafeteria chefs kicked him out since he was eating all of their food and the rest of the team along with him. The older members yelled and scolded Kagami but the mood was light. The team headed to their training arena. The rest of the day went smoothly and the group returned to their inn rooms at 6pm and took a long and well deserved rest before their first match in the morning.

Once again, Sora couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard she tried and decided that perhaps a quick walk would be nice. It was around 12am when she left the room for a walk, noticing how the streets were quiet. She continued to walk through the streets, masking her presence by using the shadows created by the streetlights. She noticed that there were guards walking through the streets, patrolling for any signs of trouble and figured that it was perhaps best if she headed back. As she walked back through the path that she had came, she felt a chill run up her spine and the sound of shuffling footsteps approached from behind her. Sora went on guard as she continued to walk, pretending she didn't notice the sound as the shuffling noise grew closer and closer.

As she turned to face her potential stalker, she was pulled into the darkness of an alleyway and thrown to the floor. Her attacker's face was covered up and she couldn't see anything due to the pitch black darkness of the alleyway. But she didn't need to see the person or persons to know who they were.

"You'll pay for what you did. No one will even notice an insignificant thing like you disappear."

"I wonder how long it would take to break you."

Someone tied a piece of fabric of some sort around Sora's mouth to prevent her from screaming as they dragged her further into the alleyway. Several people pinned her to the ground. She felt a hand travel down from her face to her stomach. A cold icy object touched her chest. She felt the pointed end of a blade of some kind and knew that they were probably going to kill her. She struggled to loosen the grip on her arms and legs and even with her head, she couldn't reach her attackers. She had to think smart. Perhaps if she pretended to cry, they would let down their guard, knowing that they managed to 'scare' her.

Sora began to pretending to sob and whimper, forcing her body to tremble as if she was some frightened damsel in distress. She could hear them snicker. Then she felt him lean forward to whisper into her ear.

"How does it feel to be frightened? I knew you were just some weak female. Pretending to be all brave and talk shit before just because there were people there to save you. Bad luck for you but no one is going to save you. Perhaps it would be better if I broke you first before I killed you. How should I do this?"

Sora rolled her eyes. It had almost been too easy to distract him. She swung her head up and hit him as hard as she could, causing him to growl out in pain and fall off her. The others loosened their concentration and grip and Sora felt her chance to escape come. She kicked two people very hard and yanked her arms from the other two. She darted through the alleyway. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness and she could barely make out shapes, using them to guide her to the street. She saw the light and knew that it was her means of escape and powered her legs to move faster. In terms of speed, she was very fast and agile, often using it during sparring to overcome her opponent. Because of that, she was at a disadvantage if someone managed to grab her as they were most likely a lot stronger, in terms of physical strength.

She found herself trapped by a large wall with iron fences at the top. Regardless, she was going to jump over it and escape. She used the corners where the walls came together to push herself off the ground and grabbed the top of the wall, her fingers hurting from carrying her weight. She heard the footsteps get closer as her attackers closed in on her. With another push, she pulled herself up and tried to scale the fence. It was intricately designed with sharp points at the top to prevent people from climbing over but that didn't stop her. Sora wasn't going to let herself die by the hands of some petty losers. She managed to avoid the sharp points and leap down. Noticing that her attackers were right behind her.

She didn't wait to see if they could overcome the wall either and continued to bolt. She ran and ran noticing how the field seemed to go on and on. _Wait. A field? There isn't a field in Rakuzan is there? The only field I remember seeing was the one in…oh no._

Sora finally realized where she was as she saw the castle come into view to her left. Her pursuers continued to chase her even though they also knew exactly where they were. It seemed they knew that if Sora managed to escape from them, she was going to tell someone and they would be caught and arrested for attempted murder or they were going to get caught for trespassing on Royal lands and be caught and arrested for that. Either way, they were going to get caught so they probably thought that they should kill her before they got caught or they were simply blinded by murderous intent.

Sora knew that if she could draw them towards the castle, they would probably get caught since there was many of them and one of her. So she continued to run but slowly angled to the left, leading them to the castle. As she approached, she noticed that there was a large garden with rows of roses and several other flowers. The smell of the flowers were carried by the wind and hit her. Her head started to feel heavy and numb as several images flashed through her mind.

 _A girl giggled as she raced through the roses, glancing behind her as if she was watching to see if anyone was behind her. She popped her head up above the rose bushes and was tackled to the ground. A flash of red filled her vision. A red even more beautiful than that of the roses. A gentle smile grew on her face and her mouth formed the words 'Akashi'_

Sora shook her head and the images were gone. She noticed that she was now amongst the roses and her breathing grew heavy. These rose bushes were like the ones in her head just now. She gasped and fell to her knees. _It can't be. Was that- was that a memory?_

The sound of hissing and growling caught her attention as her pursuers followed her into the rose bushes. She knew she had lure them further in and have them catch the attention of the guards somehow without being caught herself.

"Captain, are you crazy?! This is the castle grounds. We'll be killed if we get caught. We need to get out of here. Just leave the girl. We'll have another chance."

"SHUT UP! If that girl escapes, she tattle to the guards and we'll be hunted down and caught anyway. I'm going to find that stupid bitch and strangle the life out of her. if you losers are too afraid to obey order than you can fucking leave but know that I will kill you myself later."

No one seemed to say anything as they agreed to stay and continue searching for the blunette. Behind her, the bushes rustled and she heard the clattering of metal. _The guards. Perfect._ She looked around for a suitable rock and crawled towards the sound of old boots shuffling against the ground. She noticed that the guards were approaching where the attackers were last heard and then Sora threw the rock as hard as she can at the attacker's position. There was a loud shout of pain and hushing noises but it was too late. The guards had heard and entered the rose bushes and easily found the group. They blew a whistle which was a signal to the other guards to come.

"Trespassers! You are under arrest for daring to enter the Royal grounds without permission."

The group split and ran, hoping to outrun the guards and escape but more guards quickly arrived, capturing them. Some ran further into the rose bushes and were hunted down by the guards. _My time to leave._ Sora slowly crept through the rose bushes, confidently as if she already knew where the exit was and sure enough, she found the exit. Glancing around to see if there was anyone around, Sora dashed from the bushes to the shadows.

"LET GO OF ME! I NEED TO FIND THAT BITCH! SHE'S HIDING IN THE STUPID ROSES! LET GO!"

Sora shook her head. The planned had played out better in her mind. She had forgotten that since there was intruders caught, the castle would be on high alert and guards would start swarming, making her escape practically impossible. Sora cursed as she saw that the castle guards began to accumulate and her best option was to hide somewhere until the coast was clear. As if something awoke in her, a voice called out in her head, _The Gazebo, find the gazebo._

She didn't even know this place had a gazebo but she went to find it anyway. She felt like was being pulled or carried by the wind as her feet lead her to the gazebo which was at the pond on the other side of the rose garden. It was hidden behind a grove of willow trees. She heard the giggles of children and the sound of splashing but there was no one there. She ducked into the gazebo and felt a pang of familiarity rush through her. She knew this place. She walked around and felt the grooves of the carvings around the table and remembered this feeling. She was completely immersed with the atmosphere and her thoughts, as images came into view.

 _Some young children sat around the table as sandwiches, cakes and other treats were served. They laughed and talked and did what children did. A certain blunette sat among them, giggling and playing with the boy next to her. Then she turned._

Turned and faced Sora, a finger pointed at straight at her and smiled grimly, her mouth formed the word 'Akashi' and then vanished. The others children vanished too.

"So, it seems you've found this place, Tamiko."

 **End of chapter**

 **I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER. IT WAS KINDA LONG AND I HOPE IT WASN'T BORING. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT SO I CAN IMPROVE MY WRITING. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO WRITE WELL FOR YOU GUYS TO ENJOY. ANYWAY, THANKS AGAIN FOR READING MY DEAR READERS!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 – Uncover**

 **Halp pls.**

 **I DO NOT OWN KNB**

Sora flinched at the silky voice behind her. She had been an idiot to come here because now, she had fallen into the hands of the Prince, despite her agreement with her friends, she managed to get herself into trouble again. Sora thought about escaping, about dashing across the gazebo and into the bushes where he wouldn't be able to find her but her feet do not obey her. She stood there, frozen to the ground as she heard light footsteps approach behind her. His presence was as terrifying as ever.

"Answer me Tamiko."

Sora let out a breath and slowly turned to face him.

"I apologise Your Highness, but I am not Tamiko. My name is-"

"Aida Sora. To think you would come up with a new identity to hide from me. You can fool the others, but you cannot fool me. Your prank has lasted long enough don't you think? So tell me, Tamiko…"

He got even closer, his warm breath tickled Sora's forehead as he looked down at her, a fearsome intensity in his eyes that made her insides tremble. His hand reached for Sora's face but she stood her ground, tensing as she expected him to strike her like he did Momoi and Aomine. She stared, defiantly into his eyes, putting up a brave front to distract him from seeing her shiver under his stare. His hands were warm but cold at the same time, like his true feelings were betrayal his actions. He gently stroked Sora's cheek, wiping a stray tear that she hadn't noticed had fallen from her right eye. A hint of kindness flashed in his eyes.

"Why did you hide from me?"

That kindness was gone in that moment as grabbed her wrist and held onto it tightly, a bit too tightly as Sora winced at the sudden pain. Akashi didn't notice or if he did, he didn't care.

"I told you, I am not Tamiko. Just someone who supposedly looks like her. I know it isn't in my place to ask but I am going to ask anyway. Why are you so hellbent on finding her anyway? It doesn't seem like she wants to return to you if she's been hiding for 5 or so years."

Sora lost her patience. She didn't like that she had to keep hiding from someone she didn't know or that he kept pursuing her assuming he was someone from his past. She wasn't going to allow herself to lose confidence or herself.

"You speak as if you know her personally or is it because you are her? Regardless, I will find out everything eventually and you will not escape me again. However, as you are now under arrest for trespassing, I suppose I can find those answers now."

Sora flinched as two guards appeared with cuffs and restrained her. She glared up at Akashi who was smirking down at her, his crimson and golden eyes glowed like gems in the moonlight.

"Take her to my office."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Sora could feel the confusion coming from them as they were probably about to throw her into a cell. Sora knew not to fight them since they knew her identity, they knew where to find her even if she fled. Quietly, she followed them into the cold and empty maze-like corridors, taking in the chill and haunting air of the palace. Something about this place chilled her to the bones – an uncomfortable feeling that made her feel nauseous. She was thrown into the office room and left there alone, as if they were confident that she couldn't escape. Eventually, she got bored and decided to walk around the room. It had a very simplistic design but despite the warm colours, everything seemed bland and monochrome like any kindness and warmth had been sucked out of it.

Sora brushed her hand against the wooden table, feeling the smooth polished feel of a well crafted desk. There was a sense of familiarity in the room, a sort of buzzing in her mind that begged her to pay closer attention to the minor details in the room, as if they held answers to unlock her past.

The door creaked open and Akashi walked in, reminding Sora that she was in his domain. He flicks the light switch on and walks over to his desk, where Sora stood. She watched cautiously as he came around the desk and sat down on his chair. He motioned for Sora to sit down in the opposing chair which she slowly approached and sat down in. A servant came in with a tray, two drinks were placed onto the table, two cups of freshly brewed tea. Sora thanked the servant with a nod but Akashi didn't even acknowledge his presence, continuing to stare at her. The servant left with a bow and left Sora alone with Akashi.

Seeing that she wouldn't touch her tea, Akashi cocked his head to the side, a cruel smile adorned his porcelain face.

"I did not poison your tea, don't worry."

"I'm not worried."

There was a pause before Sora picked up the cup and took a sip, her eyes widened in shock and looked up at the crimson haired prince who was staring intently at her, she felt that he was peering and rummaging around her heart and her mind. His grin widened when he saw the look of shock in her eyes.

"You must be wondering how I know your preferences?"

Sora placed the cup back onto the desk and nodded. Even if he was a supposed psycho, he knew things about her past that she needed answered, things that Aomine, Momoi and Kuroko couldn't provide answers to.

"First of all, answer my questions and I will answer yours. A question for a question."

Sora pondered about it, whether it would be wise to accept this or not, but after having that weird hallucination in the gazebo, she needed answers.

"Alright."

He smiled a triumphant grin at her response, his eyes lit up with eagerness and poise, like he had been waiting for this moment. Sora realized that she had fallen into a deep pit with only a plastic spoon to get out.

"Regarding the earlier inquiry, I've known you well enough to know much about you. My turn."

Sora wasn't content with that answer but Akashi had already moved onto his own question so she decided to be patient.

"How much do you remember about your past?"

Sora was sure that Akashi had an advantage over her. At this stage, most of her had acknowledged that she was Tamiko but that small bit of doubt kept her grounded, unable to fully accept. Because of this, she knew that Akashi had her at a disadvantage. It was also the fact that if she acted out, he would probably hurt or even kill the others.

"Nothing at the moment, just general things that I've been told by others. My turn again."

"No. I am not content with that answer…Explain more."

Sora frowned as Akashi's smile slowly vanished into a look of displeasure.

"There is nothing more to add. It's my turn now."

She hesitated to ask her biggest question, biting her lip as the words struggled to escape her lips.

"What makes you think that I am Tamiko? And if I really am Tamiko, what was our relationship?"

"That is two questions so I will inquire two questions of my own."

Akashi smirked and rested his head on his hand, as he proceeded to answer Sora's burning questions. He knew that he had her within his grasp and depending on how he answered these questions, she may return to him willingly.

"To answer your questions, you are Tamiko because there is no doubt that you are. Perhaps your manner of speech and your personality is different but after analyzing all of the information about you gathered thus far, it is certain that you are Tamiko. As for your second question…"

He got up and casually walked up to her, lifting her chin up and gazing deep into her eyes, as if claiming her. Sora pushed his hand away and snarled.

"Our agreement was to answer each other's questions, not allow each other to become play things. Don't touch me."

He let out an unfriendly chuckle and smile cruelly.

"Forgive me if I over step my boundaries, however, I am explaining to you what our relationship was. In the past, you did not mind me touching you, in fact, you used to creep into my bed and sleep beside me. We were inseparable."

Sora didn't like what he was suggesting but from what she had been told by Kuroko and Momoi, Akashi was telling the truth. However, they only told her what they remembered and not what Tamiko had experienced. A major part of her had yet to be revealed and now when all of her past came rushing back at her so quickly, her heart wasn't ready.

"You don't seem so shocked?"

"I'm not. Am I really under arrest or are you just keeping me here to get answers?"

"That depends on how generous I feel today."

Sora gritted her teeth and felt a rush of annoyance flood through her. She has dealt with far more irritating people and yet, due to her and Akashi's positions, she had to tread carefully. Though Sora had just realized that she had been speaking to him rather informally, or rather casually like she had known him for a while. The more interesting thing was that he didn't seem to mind – maybe he even liked that she was speaking to him so casually.

"It's rather late, I should head back before my sister and teammates realize I'm missing and start to worry."

"You won't be leaving until I say you can. I still have questions needed to be answered. You won't be able to leave even if you wanted to anyway."

Akashi moved closer, using his height to tower over Sora who was still sitting in her chair. She got up and gave him a watch-me glare, bringing her own face up to meet his eyes.

"I won't have you look down on me."

At that moment, there was a knocking on the door. Sora didn't even flinch as the door opened, revealing a tall man with dark green hair and black framed glasses.

"Akashi, you called me-"

He immediately froze as he caught the sight of the small blue haired girl standing before Akashi. Akashi turned to look at the surprised visitor and took a step forward to greet him.

"Ah Shintaro, you're here."

"A-Akashi? Is that – Okuma?"

As the male slowly made his way further into the room, Sora noticed that he was holding a glass frog in his taped hand. She knew he was part of the GOM since he had very colourful hair, which seemed to be their trademark of sorts.

"Yes, however, she has no memories of us. We are yet to uncover the cause of her amnesia. Thank you for coming this late Shintaro."

"Is this what you wanted to discuss? This is the reason you called me here?"

"No. Her appearance was unexpected. I plan to find answers to all of my questions. However, it would be boring to uncover everything now. How about this, Tamiko? You and Tetsuya win the Summer Trials and I will let you to return to your life, however, lose and you remain here in Rakuzan for the rest of your life working for me."

Sora knew that it would be incredibly reckless to accept it immediately and she needed to discuss things with Kuroko first. Of course, it would remain a secret from the rest of the team.

"Let me get back to you on that. It wouldn't be fair if I accept without talking to Kuroko about this since he is involved."

Akashi's smirk grew as he went back to his seat. The green haired boy came up to the seat next to her and sat beside her, throwing her a strange look.

"Very well. I will give you a day to get back to me. If you do not answer, I will assume that you accept. It was a pleasure speaking to you again Tamiko. Let's see how far Tetsuya and Seirin's determination and teamwork gets them through the Trials."

Sora nodded and headed to the door where two guards were waiting to escort her to the gates. As the door closed behind her, she heard the deep voice of the other male ask Akashi a question.

"Does she truly not remember anything? Are you even sure she is Tamiko?"

"Shintaro, I am always right, thus I am absolute. She is Tamiko and regardless of whether she is faking her amnesia or not, she will never leave me again. Now, let's discuss what I called you here for."

Then Sora was out of range as the guards lead her out of the castle and through the gate. As she turned to thank them, she realized that they were giving her strange looks, a look of sadness and recognition. Sora sighed and walked back to the inn, choosing to stay in the light of the street lamps. She wondered what had caused Akashi to become so aggressive because from what Kuroko, Aomine and Momoi had said, he had been respectful, kind and considerate to everyone he met but he seemed to be very different from what he was before. Just being with him briefly allowed Sora to see that he was cruel, aggressive and arrogant.

As she approached the inn, a very concerned Seirin came rushing out, tears filled Riko's eyes and worry was painted on every member's faces.

"Sora!? Where have you been?! We've spent ages looking for you."

Riko pounced on Sora like a blood thirsty beast and hugged the poor girl to death, then proceeded to beat the life out of her. Hyuga had to pull her off and restrain her as Sora got to her feet. As Hyuga handed Riko over to Kiyoshi, he stomped over and grabbed the girl's head with a irritated glare on his face.

"EH? Just because you're the manager, did you think you can just run around wherever you wanted?"

Sora gave a small smile but kept a passive expression on her face as she really noticed the concern amongst the team. Kuroko seemed to know exactly where Sora had been and came forward to calm everyone. Sora bowed 90 degrees in apology which seemed to lighten up the mood.

"I apologise deeply for going missing in the middle of the night. I am rather tired and I promise to fill you in tomorrow."

"Arah? You think that just because you're tired, you get to go to bed? You think being tired will earn you any sympathy, you little brat!?"

"Please understand that I didn't mean to stay out for too long. I had run into a little problem but its done. Please excuse me."

Sora moved passed the group, feeling a bit guilty that she was acting so coldly, however as she walked passed Kuroko, she whispered loudly enough for only him to hear.

"I need to talk to you."

Kuroko gave the slightest of nods as Sora made her way up the staircase to her floor and into her room. When she heard the others finally get up to their own rooms, Sora walked out and knocked on Kuroko and Kagami's room door. Kagami opened the door with a surprised look on his face.

"EH? Sora? What are you-"

"I'm here to talk to Kuroko."

"Oh, right. Is it about that Akashi bastard."

Sora's lips curled up slightly as Kagami's name for the prince.

"Yes."

Kuroko was waiting inside and handed Sora a glass of water, a serious expression on his face as he allowed her to sit down on his bed.

"Where you away because of Akashi-kun?"

"Partially. Do you guys remember the guys that attacked Riko and I at lunch? They seemed to be waiting outside for one of us or something and they attacked me. I ran from them since I was very much outnumbered. I didn't realise that I had run so far and ended up in the castle grounds. Still my pursuers were very persistent and intent on killing me. Eventually they got caught and I escaped but ran into the prince. He 'arrested' me and we had a 'conversation'. He came up with a deal that involved the team, but especially myself and you Kuroko."

"A deal? Did you accept?"

"No, I said that I would get back to him after discussing with you. He's giving us a day to reply or he will assume that we accepted it."

Kuroko looked tense as he waited for Sora to tell him what the deal was. From the look on his face, Sora could tell he was expecting the worst.

"He said that if Seirin wins the Summer Trials, he will let me go back to my life in Seirin and he wouldn't interfere with what we do. But if we lose, I have to remain in Rakuzan for the rest of my life and work for him."

Kagami lost it.

"What the hell!? That bastard?! He's looking down on us, like he knows that we're going to lose. I'll beat his ass."

"Kagami-kun, language. But we have no choice but to accept. If we refuse, he will continue to do anything to get you. He will do it forcefully. Akashi-kun now…he's very aggressive."

Sora nodded her agreement. But a wave of emotion washed over her, a strange feeling she had not felt before filled her. It was almost like she felt sorry for Akashi. Like she could understand him or even cared for him.

"So, tomorrow morning, I will send a dove to accept his deal?"

"Yes, but, we should also tell Coach because it involves the entire team. We just can't tell her about your past because that's meant to remain a secret between us. To the rest of the world, you died. Okuma Tamiko died 5 years ago. Anyway, you must be tired Sora-san. You should go rest."

"Right. Thanks Kuroko. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Good night Kuroko, Kagami."

"Take it easy Sora."

Sora nodded and smiled as she headed back to her room. Riko decided to give her an earful and grumbled about saying that her excuse better be a good one or she was going to kill her. Sora rolled her eyes and instantly fell asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow. The event had definitely taken a lot from her and she didn't know what was in store for her future. She was afraid. Afraid that her freedom was going to be ripped away or that she was going to be forever stuck in the past.

" _Seijuro!? Where are you? I brought you a snack!"_

" _I'm in the study."_

" _I'm coming in!"_

 _Tamiko walked into room which was brightly lit from the afternoon sun. Akashi's hair glowed like a flame and Tamiko couldn't help but smile as Akashi looked away from his work and pulled out a chair for her._

" _Here! I got you some sweets and tea to help power your brain and help relax you, so you can work well."_

" _Thank you Tamiko. Stay for a bit and keep me company."_

" _Sure! EW! You're doing political studies. That's gross."_

 _Akashi let out a laugh. It was a kind and contagious laugh as Tamiko couldn't help but smile with him._

" _Well, I am to be the future King. I have to know about all the political rules and happenings. Besides, having you here makes things less dull."_

" _Ha! So you admit that you like me being around!"_

 _Akashi looked up at the bubbly blunette and grinned._

" _I never said that I didn't like having you around."_

 _Tamiko blushed and fiddled the ends of her long blue locks, twirling a strand around her fingers and glanced bashfully at Akashi who was enjoying her reaction. They both knew how charming he was._

" _Well, it looks like you're busy! I'm going to go! I think I heard Daiki calling me! BYE!"_

 _And then she raced out of the room with lightning speed, leaving Akashi befuddled but amused. His mood had gotten a lot better with her presence. He thought to himself with a smile, 'life really does seem better with her around.' And then turned his focus back to his work._

 _Tamiko felt giddy inside as she entered the garden and to her thinking place. The grand gazebo was her favourite place to hang when she had things to think about and to get some fresh air. Something about it seemed to call to her. Maybe it was the fact that this was the place she had created so many wonderful memories with her friends or maybe it was the place where she first realized that she had fallen in love with Akashi._

 **End of chapter**

 **I think this chapter was shorter than most but I hoped it was okay. There was a lot of Akashi and Sora interaction and I hope that things will start to progress a bit more. In the next chapter, it will be a bit more action based stuff since it will be Seirin's first match. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to seeing you all in the next one. THANKS ALL!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 – Seafood pancake**

The light tapping against the window drew the attention of the crimson haired male, a slight smile grew on his face. He placed the pile of documents aside and made his way over to the large window, opening it and feeling the warm summer breeze flow past him. A tiny coo brought his eyes down to the cream coloured dove but his attention was mostly on the little scroll attached to its leg.

He reached down to take the scroll but the dove pecked at his finger, as if telling him to feed it first. A memory flashed through his mind and made his heart warm up a little, but the deep rage and resentment that accumulated through the years had drowned that warmth in a cocoon of ice. Before the dove could react, he plucked the scroll from its leg and read the text.

 _To Crown Prince, Akashi Seijuro,_

 _We accept your deal. We will not hold back in the Summer Trials and Seirin will beat you and your team. Good luck._

 _From, Kuroko Tetsuya and Aida Sora._

The dove seemed to glare once at the Prince for refusing to feed it before it flew away, back to the person who sent it. If he recalled, today was the day that Seirin would finally go up against a member of the Generation of Miracles. Seirin was a new and inexperienced team. Some would say they were easy prey but in the eyes of others, they were wolves in sheep's clothing, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. A slight grin grew on his face as he wondered how the match would go. Knowing the Kuroko and Midorima, neither were going to go down without a fight, especially the former who was notorious for his unwavering determination. Nevertheless, his teammates would tell him so there was no need for him to be present. He had more important matters to attend to.

~At the Arena~

"Okay, so you guys know that Shutoku is a very tough team. They have a member of the Generation of Miracles who excels in long distance and short distance attacks. Watch each other's backs and win!"

"YOSHH!"

With a mighty roar, Seirin and Shutoku entered the arena where they got into position. Riko and Sora stayed on the sidelines with the opposing coach on the other side, facing towards them with a look of shock. He hadn't expected the coach to be a female. Many of the spectators and competitors hadn't expected Seirin to make it this far into the competition, after all they were a new team that no one had heard of before.

The aim of these matches were to eliminate the members of the opposite team by immobilizing them and grab their flag that was positioned on each end of the arena. These battles could get bloody if you didn't pay attention but it was prohibited to kill your opponents, the armour worn by each player was designed to protect the vitals from getting pierced. Sora turned to inspect the opposing team. It was hard to miss the tall green haired member who was positioned further back, armed with a bow and arrow. Beside him was a shorter raven haired boy who was armed with a short sword and a dagger that were meant for precise and quick attacks. The shorter boy said something to the green haired boy, whom Sora remembered from her last encounter with Akashi as Midorima, and promptly got scolded.

The referee signaled for the match to begin and both teams lunged. Midorima fired an arrow at the raging Kagami who deflected it with his large broad sword, a looked of shock appeared on his face. Kuroko, as usual, vanished from the view of everyone, like a phantom dashing across the arena. As a pair, the star duo reached half way into enemy territory as the rest of the team dealt with the opponents. To the shock of everyone, the raven haired boy, Takao had the ability to see the entire arena like Izuki could but unlike Izuki, Takao could see at a better perspective allowing him to see Kuroko.

"Kuroko! Watch out!"

In terms of fighting abilities, Kuroko wasn't the best. He relied on his faint presence and once that was gone, he was like a sitting duck. Takao took this chance to attack and managed to land a blow to Kuroko's arm. Kagami was fighting against Midorima who also had the advantage over Kagami. Midorima's defense was impeccable and he easily defended himself against Kagami. Shutoku crept closer into Seirin's territory, at one point, almost getting the flag until Hyuga's quick thinking and Koganei's reflexes managed to stop them and push them back long enough for Kagami to get back and help defend. With Kuroko locked down by Takao, Sora could see that her team was struggling to advance as well as protect their flag. Shutoku was an all rounder team with very good fighters. Before they knew it, it was half time and the teams were given a 15 minute break.

"I got this. You guys just focus on holding them all back. Only I can win this for us."

"That's rather arrogant of you Kagami."

He wiped his sweat with the towel that Sora had given him and chugged down some water, not even bothering to look up at her.

"I'm the only one strong enough to do this."

Suddenly Kuroko struck out and punched Kagami in the face, knocking him back. It was one of the few times that Sora had seen him so agitated and she didn't blame him. Kagami was very out of line and if Kuroko hadn't punched him, she would have.

"Don't say that Kagami-kun. At times like these, we need team play more than ever."

"What's the point if we don't win?!"

"Then what is victory to you? Don't you think it's rather selfish of you to think that all we care about is the victory Kagami? Perhaps to you, winning is much more important than the feelings and efforts of the team. If that's the case then why are you here with us then? Why are you in our team?"

Kagami looked over at Sora who had a deadly stare on her face, one that could kill. A sudden look of realization appeared on his face and he looked to the ground in shame.

"Sorry, I didn't think that through. Let's do this together!"

Kuroko smiled in relief but Riko wasn't done with him yet.

"Oh, don't think that just because you realized it and didn't so something stupid that I won't punish you for stepping out of line. You're dead to me after this match."

Kagami flinched at Riko's words and growled when Hyuga hit him on the head and scolded him. In that moment, Kuroko had come up with a plan to overcome Takao and help the team again. It wasn't long before Kuroko turned the tables and with a final push, Kagami was able to steal the flag and obtain victory for the team.

Riko and Sora leapt up, hugging each other and cheering as Seirin celebrated their victory. Shutoku seemed very disappointed to have lost. Losing wouldn't feel good, especially to a newbie team. After the teams bowed to each other, they returned to their temporary waiting rooms to get changed as they only had one match that day.

~meanwhile~

Midorima left his locker room, in a somber mood only to run into a certain loud pinkette.

"AH! MIDORIN! How'd you go? You lost right?! It's okay! Don't let that get you down. Seirin are pretty good for a new team."

Momoi continued to blabber on and on, Midorima gradually growing more agitated until he was 'saved' by the tanned male who looked bored as usual.

"Satsuki shut up. Can't believe you lost to those scrubs."

"Hmpf, they're not as weak as you think Aomine."

Aomine scoffed and sneered. He knew that even if Kuroko was on their side, they weren't going to get anywhere near beating him.

"You forget, the only one who can beat me, is me."

And with that the tanned male walked off, the bubbly pinkette shouts her goodbyes and raced after him. Midorima sighed. He knew that by this time, Akashi would have probably known of his loss. His little spies were the best in the country, there wasn't anything Akashi wouldn't know, even the reappearance of a certain girl.

"Ah! There you are Shin-Chan! AW…don't cry, let's go eat to cheer you up!"

"Shut up Takao, I'm not crying."

"It's okay to cry…I know a good place to eat. Let's go."

~Back with Seirin~

To celebrate, the group decided to eat a local fried food store. When they entered, they saw a certain blonde eating with a dark haired boy. Kuroko flinched and pushed Sora behind him.

"Please stay out of sight, we can't let Kise-kun see you."

"That'll be rather hard to achieve Kuroko, besides, if he was watching the match, he would have seen me sitting on the bench with Riko. I mean, we can always leave and go to another store-"

"EHH?! IT'S KISE AND KASAMATSU!"

"HUH!? KAGAMICCHI!?"

Sora let out a long sigh as once again, Kagami's actions cause their plans to go down the drain.

"What are you doing here?"

"We're here to eat."

"Oh…ahah Right…AHH! KUROKOCCHI!"

The blonde lunged for Kuroko who neatly dodged but couldn't push Sora out of the way fast enough, resulting in a head on collision between the two.

"Owie…Ah! Are you okay – Eh? No way…Tamikocchi!?"

 _This can't be good._

"Please get off me."

Kise realized that he was in a rather promiscuous position and jumped up, a blush on his face as he gazed down at the blunette who was now getting up, dusting herself off. Seeing that she was up, he brought her into a crushing hug, swinging her around and nuzzling her.

"It really is you. It's you! I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH. I THOUGHT YOU DI-"

Sora covered his mouth and with a hiss, whispered to Kise,

"Put me down please. Also, regarding who you think I am, we'll discuss that later."

Kise seemed shocked by the harshness in Sora's voice and put her down. Everyone was now watching them and Sora ignored them, choosing to sit down when she was pulled into the same booth as Kise. Now Sora was sitting in between Kise and Kuroko while facing Kasamatsu and Kagami. Her sister gave her a worried look but with a simple nod and the words 'later', Riko looked a bit more relieved.

 _This is awkward, urgh, why did I think this would happen?_

She turned to Kuroko who was staring straight ahead and everyone was staring at each other in an awkward silence.

"Let's order something, we've already eaten quite a bit so you go straight ahead."

Sora could tell that Kise was itching to say something to her but he was holding it back after her warning earlier. Suddenly a loud laugh and a familiar scowling voice came from the entrance of the store, causing everyone to turn around.

"No way…It's you guys."

"Takao, we're leaving."

But Midorima was ignored as Takao noticed the captain of Kaijo sitting beside Kagami.

"Ah! You're Kasamatsu of Kaijo aren't you!? I've always wanted to meet you, please come sit with me!"

Takao took Kasamatsu from the table, leaving Midorima to sit there on the most dangerous table in the store. The awkward silence was once again back. Sora thought it was rather funny to see that the notorious Generation of Miracles weren't as terrifying or imposing as people had made them out to be. That was when Sora noticed the small stuffed animal beside Midorima and she couldn't help but look perplexed. It was strange in this day and age to see a teenager carrying around his stuffed toy. Sora had concluded that the Generation of Miracles were basically just talented albeit strange boys. Although, there was something about this atmosphere that seemed familiar, perhaps it had something to do with her past.

Kuroko, sensing the tension, decided to call over a waiter. Sora ordered a serving of octopus balls and seafood pancake as did Kuroko, while Kagami decided to order about everything on the menu.

"Do you even have that much money to buy all of that? You do realise that you won't be getting any additional money from anyone else right?"

Sora stated with a raised brow to Kagami as the waiter walked away.

"Yeah, I brought lots for food."

At this point, Sora wasn't all too surprised at his comment, and from the looks of things, neither was Kuroko. Kise and Midorima on the other hand looked at him like he was a monster.

"Now then, I suppose this wouldn't be the greatest place to ask about you."

Sora realized that Midorima had directed that statement to her and she turned to face him.

"No, it isn't. I know what you are thinking, both you and Kise-san. Honestly, I don't much so if you want better answers to your question, you'd be better off asking Kuroko."

"Wait? So are you Tamikocchi?!"

"We think Sora-san may be Tamiko-san…after all, Akashi-kun did recognize her but Sora-san doesn't remember anything, so there is a chance that Sora-san isn't Tamiko-san. But since you both know already, I might as well tell you. However, not here. It's not safe."

"It's not like I care that much, but it'll be reassuring to know that Tamiko is safe."

"I agree with Midorimacchi! I'm still sad but it's better having her here than dead. Wait a minute! Does that mean you were the one dancing with Akashicchi during the ball!? I thought you looked familiar but I was too far away to see. Does he know everything!?"

"That's a stupid question to ask Kise, of course Akashi knows everything. I'm just surprised he hasn't done anything drastic yet."

It was strange to see that the Generation of Miracles, despite being very good friends in the past, were so wary of the Prince, not only that, but they were rather cold towards each other. A small pang of hurt filled Sora's chest, like a heartache.

"You guys talk too much. Why can't you just eat in peace? Besides, you talk as if Akashi is going to hurt Sora or something…If what you guys say about Akashi being really close to Sora in the past or something, then why would he hurt her?"

Midorima scoffed and pushed his glasses up.

"You don't know anything about what happened in the pas-"

Just as he said that, an entire seafood pancake descended from the heavens onto Midorima's head and a quiet gasp came from behind him. The entire store went quiet as Midorima, stood up and turned to his teammate, dragging him by the collar of his shirt with a blank yet infuriated expression.

"Takao come."

"Wait no, I'm sorry Shin-Chan…Please, wait…ARGH!"

The smaller male was dragged outside and a loud thump followed by a screech was heard before a moment of silence. Then Midorima alone walked back into the store, the pancake was gone but remnants of it were still there.

"Also, I warn you about your next opponent. You'll be facing Aomine. He's a dangerous opponent and one who's style of fighting is rather similar to yours. But he is a wild card. That's all I have to say."

Then he left.

"It looks like our team is ready to go. Thank you for letting us sit with you Kise-san."

"No problems, you can just call me Kise or even Ryota if you want…like back in the old days. I'd like to meet up with you more often too. You know help you get your memories back."

Sora smiled unconsciously. Something about what Kise said reminded her of something that she couldn't exactly grasp on yet, but it warmed her heart.

"Thank you, goodbye Kise-kun."

Kise stood up, a dangerous smirk on his face as he turned to Kagami and Kuroko.

"Oh and by the way, if we ever have each other as an opponent, we'll beat you so you better watch out."

Kagami returned the challenge with his typical competitive grin.

"It's on!"

Back in the inn, Riko shoved her sister into their room and demanded to know what happened. So Sora explained that Kise had mistaken her for someone he knew and it took a while to explain to him. Riko didn't really buy the story but something on her sister's face made her accept the answer for now. She knew that there was something going on between Kuroko, Sora and the Generation of Miracles and she knew Sora really wasn't her sister. She'd known that on the day that the Okuma Family aristocrats had gone missing (supposedly dead), her father had found a small girl wondering the forest, limping and dying of blood loss. It didn't need much to put the pieces together.

There was no need to stress her out, especially since the girl looked so deeply traumatized and couldn't even remember her own name.

"Anyway, our next match is with Touo which is in 2 days right?"

"Yep, and Aomine Daiki is a part of that team. He's the ace of the Generation of Miracles, meaning he'll be a big challenge for us. Aside from Aomine, Touo has very advanced fighters. So I'm tripling the training for the boys. We need to be good in the basics and improve our team play. After today's match against Shutoku, I noticed that we rely too heavily on Kuroko and Kagami in offense and our defense is rather weak. Since Touo is also an offensive team, we need to improve our defense."

"I do pity those boys sometimes. You're a slaving demon coach at times."

Riko's eyebrow twitched and then she jumped on top of her sister, tickling her. The two continued to wrestle before they both collapsed to the ground in fatigue.

"God, if it wasn't so hot, I would have beat you."

"You wish Riko, you're just super competitive."

"Speak for yourself. I've never met anyone as competitive as you. You hate losing."

"Shut up."

The two girls laughed and Riko turned to look at her sister, the beautiful, slightly tanned, blunette who was staring out the window, gazing at the setting sun with a smile. There was a sense of longing in Sora's eyes, a longing for perhaps something or…someone.

 _Even though I know who you really are and what might happen if you remember, you'll always be a sister to me._

 _Don't worry Sora, I'll protect you._

 **End of chapter**

 **Yeyeyeye…this was a shorter chapter in comparison to the others that I've written but I hope you guys liked it. Also, I did incorporate parts of the original story in here because I loved this scene. It was so funny and I loved the character dynamics in it, especially Takao and Midorima. But yeah, thanks for reading this chapter and the fanfic. I apologise for the wait and I can't say for sure when I'll be able to update, so yeah.**

 **I'll see you guys next chapter!**


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